THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY

 KNOWN AS BUFFALO BILL

 THE FAMOUS HUNTER, SCOUT AND GUIDE. 

 _AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY_. 

 1879

To GENERAL PHILIP H. SHERIDAN, THIS BOOK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATEDBY THE AUTHOR. 

[Illustration: Yours Sincerely, W. F. Cody]

INTRODUCTORY. 

The life and adventures of Hon. William F. Cody--Buffalo Bill--as toldby himself, make up a narrative which reads more like romance thanreality, and which in many respects will prove a valuable contributionto the records of our Western frontier history. While no literaryexcellence is claimed for the narrative, it has the greater merit ofbeing truthful, and is verified in such a manner that no one can doubtits veracity. The frequent reference to such military men as GeneralsSheridan, Carr, Merritt, Crook, Terry, Colonel Royal, and other officersunder whom Mr. Cody served as scout and guide at different times and invarious sections of the frontier, during the numerous Indian campaignsof the last ten or twelve years, affords ample proof of hisgenuineness as a thoroughbred scout. 

There is no humbug or braggadocio about Buffalo Bill. He is known far andwide, and his reputation has been earned honestly and by hard work. By acombination of circumstances he was educated to the life of a plainsmanfrom his youth up; and not the least interesting portion of his career isthat of his early life, passed as it was in Kansas during the eventfuland troubleous times connected with the settlement of that state. Spending much time in the saddle, while a mere boy he crossed the plainsmany times in company with bull-trains; on some of these trips he metwith thrilling adventures and had several hairbreadth escapes from deathat the hands of Indians. Then, for a while, he was dashing over theplains as a pony-express rider. Soon afterwards, mounted on the high seatof an overland stagecoach, he was driving a six-in-hand team. We nexthear of him cracking the bull-whacker's whip, and commanding awagon-train through a wild and dangerous country to the far West. Duringthe civil war he enlisted as a private, and became a scout with the Unionarmy; since the war he has been employed as hunter, trapper, guide, scoutand actor. As a buffalo hunter he has no superior; as a trailer ofIndians he has no equal. For many years he has taken an active part inall the principal Indian campaigns on the Western frontier, and as ascout and guide he has rendered inestimable services to the variousexpeditions which he accompanied. 

During his life on the plains he not only had many exciting adventureshimself, but he became associated with many of the other noted plainsmen, and in his narrative he frequently refers to them and relates manyinteresting incidents and thrilling events connected with them. He hashad a fertile field from which to produce this volume, and has frequentlyfound it necessary to condense the facts in order to embody the mostinteresting events of his life. The following from a letter written byGeneral E. A. Carr, of the Fifth Cavalry, now commanding Fort McPherson, speaks for itself:

 * * * * *

"I first met Mr. Cody, October 22d, 1868, at Buffalo Station, on theKansas Pacific railroad, in Kansas. He was scout and guide for the sevencompanies of the Fifth Cavalry, then under Colonel Royal, and of which Iwas ordered to take the command. 

"From his services with my command, steadily in the field for ninemonths, from October, 1868, to July, 1869, and at subsequent times, I amqualified to bear testimony to his qualities and character. 

"He was very modest and unassuming. I did not know for a long time howgood a title he had to the appellation, 'Buffalo Bill. ' I am apt todiscount the claims of scouts, as they will occasionally exaggerate; andwhen I found one who said nothing about himself, I did not think much ofhim, till I had proved him. He is a natural gentleman in his manners aswell as in character, and has none of the roughness of the typicalfrontiersman. He can take his own part when required, but I have neverheard of his using a knife or a pistol, or engaging in a quarrel where itcould be avoided. His personal strength and activity are such that he canhardly meet a man whom he cannot handle, and his temper and dispositionare so good that no one has reason to quarrel with him. 

"His eye-sight is better than a good field glass; he is the best trailerI ever heard of; and also the best judge of the 'lay of country, '--thatis, he is able to tell what kind of country is ahead, so as to know howto act. He is a perfect judge of distance, and always ready to tellcorrectly how many miles it is to water, or to any place, or how manymiles have been marched. 

"Mr. Cody seemed never to tire and was always ready to go, in the darkestnight or the worst weather, and usually volunteered, knowing what theemergency required. His trailing, when following Indians or looking forstray animals or game, is simply wonderful. He is a most extraordinaryhunter. I could not believe that a man could be certain to shoot anteloperunning till I had seen him do it so often. 

"In a fight Mr. Cody is never noisy, obstreperous or excited. In fact, Inever hardly noticed him in a fight, unless I happened to want him, or hehad something to report, when he was always in the right place, and hisinformation was always valuable and reliable. 

"During the winter of 1868, we encountered hardships and exposure interrific snow storms, sleet, etc. , etc. On one occasion, that winter, Mr. Cody showed his quality by quietly offering to go with some dispatches toGeneral Sheridan, across a dangerous region, where another principalscout was reluctant to risk himself. 

"On the 13th of May, 1869, he was in the fight at Elephant Rock, Kansas, and trailed the Indians till the 16th, when we got another fight out ofthem on Spring Creek, in Nebraska, and scattered them after followingthem one hundred and fifty miles in three days. It was at Spring Creekwhere Cody was ahead of the command about three miles, with the advanceguard of forty men, when two hundred Indians suddenly surrounded them. Our men, dismounted and formed in a circle, holding their horses, firingand slowly retreating. They all, to this day, speak of Cody's coolnessand bravery. This was the Dog Soldier band which captured Mrs. Alderdiceand Mrs. Weichel in Kansas. They strangled Mrs. Alderdice's baby, killedMrs. Weichel's husband, and took a great deal of property and stock fromdifferent persons. We got on their trail again, June 28th, and followedit nearly two hundred miles, till we struck the Indians on Sunday, July11th, 1869, at Summit Spring. The Indians, as soon as they saw us coming, killed Mrs. Alderdice with a hatchet, and shot Mrs. Weichel, butfortunately not fatally, and she was saved. 

"Mr. Cody has since served with me as post guide and scout at FortMcPherson, where he frequently distinguished himself. 

"In the summer of 1876, Cody went with me to the Black Hills region wherehe killed Yellow-Hand. Afterwards he was with the Big Horn andYellowstone expedition. I consider that his services to the country andthe army by trailing, finding and fighting Indians, and thus protectingthe frontier settlers, and by guiding commands over the best and mostpracticable routes, have been far beyond the compensation he hasreceived. His friends of the Fifth Cavalry are all glad that he is in alucrative business, and hope that he may live long and prosper. Personally, I feel under obligations to him for assistance in mycampaigns which no other man could, or would, have rendered. Of course Iwish him, and his, every success. "

E. A. CARR, Lt. Col. 5th Cav. , Brev. Maj. Gen'l U. S. Army. FORTMcPHERSON, NEBRASKA, July 3d, 1878

 * * * * *

Buffalo Bill is now an actor, and is meeting with success. He owns alarge and valuable farm adjoining the town of North Platte, Nebraska, andthere his family live in ease and comfort. He has also an extensivecattle ranch on the Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, his partner being Major Frank North, the old commander of the celebratedPawnee scouts. While many events of his career are known to the public, yet the reader will find in this narrative much that will be entirely newand intensely interesting to both young and old. 

THE PUBLISHER. 

Illustrations. 

THE AUTHOR, PORTRAIT, ON STEEL

YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES

SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT

BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO

BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY

EXCITING SPORT

STAKING OUT LOTS

MY FATHER STABBED

MY FATHER'S ESCAPE

LIFE OR DEATH

BOYISH SPORT

TWO TO ONE

KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN

A PRAIRIE SCHOONER

WILD BILL (PORTRAIT)

HOLDING THE FORT

CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE

RAFTING OS THE PLATTE

RIDING PONY EXPRESS

SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN IN-THE-FACE

CHANGING HORSES

ATTACK ON STAGE COACH

ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER

THE HORSE THIEVES DEN

MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES

BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH HIDE

"NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES"

WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS

WILD BILL'S DUEL

GENERAL GEO. A. CUSTER (Portrait)

DEPARTING RICHES

TONGUES AND TENDERLOINS

THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES

THE MAN WHO FIRED THE GUN

BUFFALO BILL

"DOWN WENT HIS HORSE"

THE FIRE SIGNAL

KIT CARSON (Portrait)

A GOOD HORSE

A BIG JOKE

AMBUSHING THE INDIANS

WHOA THERE!

DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO GENERAL SHERIDAN

THE TWO TRAMPS

CARRYING DISPATCHES

GEN'L PHIL. SHERIDAN (PORTRAIT)

BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE

BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP

"INDIANS!"

GENERAL E. A. CARR (PORTRAIT)

A CRACK SHOT

A HARD CROWD

CAMPING IN THE SNOW

A WELCOME VISITOR

ANTELOPES

THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS

ROBBING A STAGE COACH

INDIAN VILLAGE

THE KILLING OF TALL BULL

AN OLD BONE

A WEDDING CEREMONY

A RIDE FOR LIFE

PRAIRIE DOG VILLAGE

McCARTHY'S FRIGHT

FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY

SPOTTED TAIL (PORTRAIT)

GRAND DUKE ALEXIS (PORTRAIT)

INDIAN EXERCISES

TWO-LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO

AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION?

TEXAS JACK (PORTRAIT)

RIFLES

STUDYING THE PARTS

BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS

LEARNING THE GAME

GETTING SATISFACTION

A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND

SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT

CLOSE QUARTERS

ONE OF THE TROUPE

Contents

CHAPTER I. 

CHILDHOOD. 

Early Days in Iowa--A Brother's Death--The Family Move to a NewCountry--Incidents on the Road--The Horse Race--Our "Little Gray"Victorious--A Pleasant Acquaintance--Uncle Elijah Cody--Our NewHome--My Ponies. 

CHAPTER II. 

EARLY INFLUENCES. 

Dress Parade at Fort Leavenworth--The Beautiful Salt Creek Valley--TheMormon Emigrants--The Wagon Trains--The Cholera--A Lively Scene--My FirstSight of Indians--"Dolly" and "Prince"--A Long-Lost Relative Turnsup--Adventurous Career of Horace Billings--His SplendidHorsemanship--Catching Wild Horses. 

CHAPTER III. 

BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. 

My Indian Acquaintances--An Indian Barbecue--Beginning of the KansasTroubles--An Indiscreet Speech by my Father, who is Stabbed for hisBoldness--Persecutions at the Hands of the Missourians--A StrategicEscape--A Battle at Hickory Point--A Plan to Kill Father is Defeated byMyself--He is Elected to the Lecompton Legislature--I Enter the Employ ofWilliam Russell--Herding Cattle--A Plot to Blow Up our House--A DrunkenMissourian on the War-Path. 

CHAPTER IV. 

YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. 

At School--My First Love Scrape--I Punish my Rival, and then Run Away--MyFirst Trip Across the Plains--Steve Gobel and I are Friends oncemore--Death of my Father--I Start for Salt Lake--Our Wagon TrainSurprised by Indians, who Drive us off, and Capture our Outfit--I Kill myFirst Indian--Our Return to Leavenworth--I am Interviewed by a NewspaperReporter, who gives me a Good "Send-Off. "

CHAPTER V. 

IN BUSINESS. 

My Second Trip Across the Plains--The Salt Lake Trail--Wild Bill--HeProtects me from the Assault of a Bully--A Buffalo Hunt--Our Wagon TrainStampeded by Buffaloes--We are Taken Prisoners by the Mormons--We Proceedto Fort Bridger. 

CHAPTER VI. 

HARD TIMES. 

A Dreary Winter At Fort Bridger--Short Rations--Mule Steaks--HomewardBound in the Spring--A Square Meal--Corraled by Indians--A MuleBarricade--We Hold the Fort--Home Again--Off for the West--Trapping onthe Chugwater And Laramie Rivers--We go to Sleep In a Human Grave--AHorrifying Discovery--A Jollification at Oak Grove Ranch--Home OnceMore--I go to School--The Pike's Peak Gold Excitement--Down the PlatteRiver on a Raft--I Become a Pony Express Rider. 

CHAPTER VII. 

ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. 

Trapping on Prairie Dog Creek--An Accident whereby we Lose one of ourOxen--I Fall and Break my Leg--Left Alone in Camp--Unwelcome Visitors--AParty of Hostile Sioux Call upon me and Make Themselves at Home--OldRain-in-the-Face Saves my Life--Snow-Bound-A Dreary Imprisonment--Returnof my Partner--A Joyful Meeting--We Pull Out for Home--Harrington Dies. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. 

Introduction to Alf. Slade--He Employs me as a Pony Express Rider--I Makea Long Ride--Indians Attack an Overland Stage Coach--Wild Bill Leads aSuccessful Expedition against the Indians--A Grand Jollification atSweetwater Bridge--Slade Kills a Stage Driver--The End of the Spree--ABear Hunt--I fall among Horse Thieves--My Escape--I Guide a Party toCapture the Gang. 

CHAPTER IX. 

FAST DRIVING. 

Bob Scott, the Stage Driver--The Story of the Most Reckless Piece ofStage Driving that ever Occurred on the Overland Road. 

CHAPTER X. 

QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. 

The Civil War--Jayhawking--Wild Bill's Fight with the McCandless Gang ofDesperadoes--I become Wild Bill's Assistant Wagon-Master--We Lose ourLast Dollar on a Horse Race--He becomes a Government Scout--He has a Duelat Springfield. 

CHAPTER XI. 

A SOLDIER. 

Scouting against the Indians in the Kiowa and Comanche country--TheRed-Legged Scouts--A Trip to Denver--Death of my Mother--I Awake oneMorning to Find myself a Soldier--I am put on Detached Service as aScout--The Chase after Price--An Unexpected Meeting with Wild Bill--AnUnpleasant Situation--Wild Bill's Escape from the Southern Lines--TheCharge upon Price's Army--We return to Springfield. 

CHAPTER XII. 

A WEDDING. 

I Fall in Love--A Successful Courting Expedition--I am Married--TheHappiest Event of my Life--Our Trip up the Missouri River--TheBushwhackers Come after me--I become Landlord of a Hotel--Off for thePlains once more--Scouting on the Frontier for the Government--A Ridewith General Custer--An Expedition from Fort Hays has a Lively Chaseafter Indians--Cholera in Camp. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

A MILLIONAIRE. 

A Town Lot Speculation--"A Big Thing"--I become Half-Owner of aCity--Corner Lots Reserved--Rome's Rapid Rise--We consider ourselvesMillionaires--Dr. Webb--Hays City--We Regard ourselves as Paupers--A Racewith Indians--Captain Graham's Scout after the Indians. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

EARNING A TITLE. 

Hunting for the Kansas Pacific--How I got my Name of "Buffalo Bill"--TheIndians give me a Lively Chase--They get a Dose of their ownMedicine--Another Adventure--Scotty and myself Corraled by Indians--AFire Signal brings Assistance--Kit Carson. 

CHAPTER XV. 

CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. 

A Buffalo Killing Match with Billy Comstock--An Excursion party from St. Louis come out to Witness the Sport--I win the Match, and am declared theChampion Buffalo Killer of the Plains. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

A COURIER. 

Scouting--Captured by Indians--A Strategic Escape--A Hot Pursuit--TheIndians led into an Ambush--Old Satanta's Tricks and Threats--Excitementat Fort Larned--Herders and Wood-Choppers Killed by the Indians--APerilous Ride--I get into the wrong Pew--Safe, arrival at FortHays--Interview with General Sheridan--My ride to Fort Dodge--I returnto Fort Larned--My Mule gets away from me--A long Walk--The Mule PassesIn his Chips. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

AN APPOINTMENT. 

General Sheridan appoints me Guide and Chief of Scouts of the FifthCavalry--The Dog Soldiers--General Forsyth's Fight on the Arickaree Fork. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

SCOUTING. 

Arrival of the Fifth Cavalry at Fort Hays--Out on a Scout--A littleSkirmish with Indians--A Buffalo Hunt--A False Alarm in camp--A Scout onthe Beaver--The Supply Camp is Surprised--Arrival of General Carr--Thenew Lieutenant and his Reception--Another Indian Hunt--An Engagement--ACrack Shot--I have a little Indian fight of my own--Return to FortWallace--While hunting Buffaloes with a small Party, we are Attacked byFifty Indians. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

A TOUGH TIME. 

A Winter's Campaign in the Canadian River Country--Searching forPenrose's Command--A Heavy Snow-Storm--Taking the Wagon Train down aMountain Side--Camp Turkey--Darkey Deserters from Penrose'sCommand--Starvation in Penrose's Camp--We reach the Command withTimely Relief--Wild Bill--A Beer Jollification--HuntingAntelopes--Return to Fort Lyon. 

CHAPTER XX. 

AN EXCITING CHASE. 

A Difficulty with a Quartermaster's Agent--I give him a SeverePounding--Stormy Interview with General Bankhead and Captain Laufer--Iput another "Head" on the Quartermaster's Agent--I am Arrested--In theGuard-House--General Bankhead Releases me--A Hunt after HorseThieves--Their Capture--Escape of Bevins--His Recapture--Escape ofWilliams--Bevins Breaks Out of Jail--His Subsequent Career. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

A MILITARY EXPEDITION. 

The Fifth Cavalry is Ordered to the Department of the Platte--Liquids_vs. _ Solids--A Skirmish with the Indians--Arrival at FortMcPherson--Appointed Chief of Scouts--Major Frank North and the PawneeScouts--Belden the White Chief--The Shooting Match--Review of the PawneeScouts--An Expedition against the Indians--"Buckskin Joe. "

CHAPTER XXII. 

A DESPERATE FIGHT. 

Pawnees _vs_. Siouxs--We strike a Large Trail--The Print of a Woman'sShoe--The Summit Springs Fight--A Successful Charge--Capture of theIndian Village--Rescue of a White Woman--One hundred and forty IndiansKilled--I kill Tall Bull and Capture his Swift Steed--The Commandproceeds to Fort Sedgwick--Powder Face--A Scout after IndianHorse-Thieves--"Ned Buntline"--"Tall Bull" as a Racer--Powder Face wins aRace without a Rider--An Expedition to the Niobrara--An Indian Tradition. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. 

I make my Home at Fort McPherson--Arrival of my Family--Hunting and HorseRacing--An Indian Raid--Powder Face Stolen--A Lively Chase--An Expeditionto the Republican River Country--General Duncan--A Skirmish with theIndians--A Stern Chase--An Addition to my Family--Kit Carson Cody--I ammade a Justice of the Peace--A Case of Replevin--I perform a MarriageCeremony--Professor Marsh's Fossil-Hunting Expedition. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

HUNTING EXPEDITIONS. 

The Grand Hunt of General Sheridan, James Gordon Bennett, and otherDistinguished Gentlemen--From Fort McPherson to Fort Hays--Incidents ofthe Trip--"Ten Days on the Plains"--General Carr's Hunting Expedition--AJoke on McCarthy--A Search for the Remains of Buck's Surveying Party, whohad been Murdered by the Indians. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. 

The Grand Duke Alexis Hunt--Selection of a Camp--I Visit SpottedTail's Camp--The Grand Duke and Party arrive at Camp Alexis--SpottedTail's Indians give a Dance--The Hunt--Alexis Kills his FirstBuffalo--Champagne--The Duke Kills another Buffalo--More Champagne--Endof the Hunt--Departure of the Duke and his Party. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

SIGHT-SEEING. 

My Visit in the East--Reception in Chicago--Arrival in New York--I amwell Entertained by my old Hunting Friends--I View the Sights of theMetropolis--Ned Buntline--The Play of "Buffalo Bill"--I am Called Upon tomake a Speech--A Visit to my Relatives--Return to the West. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

HONORS. 

Arrival of the Third Cavalry at Fort McPherson--A Scout after Indians--ADesperate Fight with Thirteen Indians--A Hunt with the Earl of Dunraven--AHunt with a Chicago Party--Milligan's Bravery--Neville--I am Elected tothe Nebraska Legislature. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

AN ACTOR. 

I resolve to go upon the Stage--I resign my Seat in theLegislature--Texas Jack--"The Scouts of the Plains"--A Crowded House--AHappy Thought--A Brilliant _Début_--A Tour of the Country. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

STARRING. 

The Theatrical Season of 1873-74--Wild Bill and his Tricks--He Leaves usat Rochester--He becomes a "Star"--A Bogus "Wild Bill "--A Hunt withThomas P. Medley, an English gentleman--A Scout on the Powder River andin the Big Horn Country--California Joe--Theatrical Tour of 1874 and1875--Death of my son, Kit Carson Cody. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

A RETURN TO THE PLAINS. 

The Sioux Campaign of 1876--I am appointed Guide and Chief of Scouts ofthe Fifth Cavalry--An Engagement with eight hundred Cheyennes--A Duelwith Yellow Hand--Generals Terry and Crook meet, and cooperate Together. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

DANGEROUS WORK. 

Scouting on a Steamboat--Captain Grant Marsh--A Trip down the YellowstoneRiver--Acting as Dispatch Carrier--I Return East and open my TheatricalSeason with a New Play--Immense Audiences--I go into the Cattle Businessin company with Major Prank North--My Home at North Platte. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

CONCLUSION. 

A Cattle "Round-up"--A Visit to My Family in our New Home--A Visit frommy Sisters--I go to Denver--Buying more Cattle--Pawnee and Nez-PercesIndians Engaged for a Theatrical Tour--The Season of 1878-79--Anexperience in Washington--Home Once More. 

THE LIFE OF HON. WILLIAM F. CODY

CHAPTER I. 

CHILDHOOD. 

My _début_ upon the world's stage occurred on February 26th, 1845. Thescene of this first important event in my adventurous career, being inScott county, in the State of Iowa. My parents, Isaac and Mary Ann Cody, who were numbered among the pioneers of Iowa, gave to me the name ofWilliam Frederick. I was the fourth child in the family. Martha andJulia, my sisters, and Samuel my brother, had preceded me, and thechildren who came after me were Eliza, Nellie, Mary, and Charles, born inthe order named. 

At the time of my birth the family resided on a farm which they called"Napsinekee Place, "--an Indian name--and here the first six or sevenyears of my childhood were spent. When I was about seven years old myfather moved the family to the little town of LeClair, located on thebank of the Mississippi, fifteen miles above the city of Davenport. Evenat that early age my adventurous spirit led me into all sorts of mischiefand danger, and when I look back upon my childhood's days I often wonderthat I did not get drowned while swimming or sailing, or my neck brokenwhile I was stealing apples in the neighboring orchards. 

I well remember one day that I went sailing with two other boys; in a fewminutes we found ourselves in the middle of the Mississippi; becomingfrightened at the situation we lost our presence of mind, as well as ouroars. We at once set up a chorus of pitiful yells, when a man, whofortunately heard us, came to our rescue with a canoe and towed usashore. We had stolen the boat, and our trouble did not end until we hadeach received a merited whipping, which impressed the incident vividlyupon my mind. I recollect several occasions when I was nearly eaten up bya large and savage dog, which acted as custodian of an orchard and alsoof a melon patch, which I frequently visited. Once, as I was climbingover the fence with a hatful of apples, this dog, which had started forme, caught me by the seat of the pantaloons, and while I clung to the topof the fence he literally tore them from my legs, but fortunately did nottouch my flesh. I got away with the apples, however, by tumbling over tothe opposite side of the fence with them. 

It was at LeClair that I acquired my first experience as an equestrian. Somehow or other I had managed to corner a horse near a fence, and hadclimbed upon his back. The next moment the horse got his back up andhoisted me into the air, I fell violently to the ground, striking upon myside in such a way as to severely wrench and strain my arm, from theeffects of which I did not recover for some time. I abandoned the art ofhorsemanship for a while, and was induced after considerable persuasionto turn my attention to letters--my A, B, C's--which were taught me atthe village school. 

My father at this time was running a stage line, between Chicago andDavenport, no railroads then having been built west of Chicago. In 1849he got the California fever and made up his mind to cross the greatplains--which were then and for years afterwards called the AmericanDesert--to the Pacific coast. He got ready a complete outfit and startedwith quite a party. After proceeding a few miles, all but my father, andgreatly to his disappointment, changed their minds for some reason andabandoned the enterprise. They all returned home, and soon afterwardsfather moved his family out to Walnut Grove Farm, in Scott county. 

[Illustration: YOUTHFUL ADVENTURES. ]

While living there I was sent to school, more for the purpose of beingkept out of mischief than to learn anything. Much of my time was spent intrapping quails, which were very plentiful. I greatly enjoyed studyingthe habits of the little birds, and in devising traps to take them in. Iwas most successful with the common figure "4" trap which I could buildmyself. Thus I think it was that I acquired my love for hunting. Ivisited the quail traps twice a day, morning and evening, and as I hadnow become quite a good rider I was allowed to have one of the farmhorses to carry me over my route. Many a jolly ride I had and many aboyish prank was perpetrated after getting well away from and out of thesight of home with the horse. 

There was one event which occurred in my childhood, which I cannot recallwithout a feeling of sadness. It was the death of my brother Samuel, whowas accidentally killed in his twelfth year. 

My father at the time, being considerable of a politician as well as afarmer, was attending a political convention; for he was well known inthose days as an old line Whig. He had been a member of the Iowalegislature, was a Justice of the Peace, and had held other offices. Hewas an excellent stump speaker and was often called upon to canvass thecountry round about for different candidates. The convention which he wasattending at the time of the accident was being held at a cross-roadtavern called "Sherman's, " about a mile away. 

Samuel and I had gone out together on horseback for the cows. He rode avicious mare, which mother had told him time and again not to ride, as ithad an ugly disposition. We were passing the school house just as thechildren were being dismissed, when Samuel undertook to give anexhibition of his horsemanship, he being a good rider for a boy. Themare, Betsy, became unmanageable, reared and fell backward upon him, injuring him internally. He was picked up and carried amid greatexcitement to the house of a neighbor. 

I at once set out with my horse at the top of his speed for my father, and informed him of Samuel's mishap. He took the horse and returnedimmediately. When I arrived at Mr. Burns' house, where my brother was, Ifound my father, mother and sisters there, all weeping bitterly atSamuel's bedside. A physician, after examining him, pronounced hisinjuries to be of a fatal character. He died the next morning. 

My brother was a great favorite with everybody, and his death cast agloom upon the whole neighborhood. It was a great blow to all of thefamily, and especially to father who seemed to be almost heartbroken over it. 

Father had been greatly disappointed at the failure of his Californiaexpedition, and still desired to move to some new country. The death ofSamuel no doubt increased this desire, and he determined to emigrate. Accordingly, early in the spring of 1852, he disposed of his farm, andlate in March we took our departure for Kansas, which was then anunsettled territory. Our outfit consisted of one carriage, three wagonsand some fine blooded horses. The carriage was occupied by my mother andsisters. Thus we left our Iowa home. 

[Illustration: SAMUEL'S FATAL ACCIDENT. ]

Father had a brother, Elijah Cody, living at Weston, Platte county, Missouri. He was the leading merchant of the place. As the town waslocated near the Kansas line father determined to visit him, and thitherour journey was directed. Our route lay across Iowa and Missouri, and thetrip proved of interest to all of us, and especially to me. There wassomething new to be seen at nearly every turn of the road. At night thefamily generally "put up" at hotels or cross-road taverns along the way. 

One day as we were proceeding on our way, we were met by a horseman whowanted to sell his horse, or trade-him for another. He said the horse hadbeen captured wild in California; that he was a runner and a racer; thathe had been sold by his different owners on account of his great desireto run away when taking part in a race. 

The stranger seemed to be very frank in his statements, and appeared tobe very anxious to get rid of the animal, and as we were going to Kansaswhere there would be plenty of room for the horse to run as far as hepleased, father concluded to make a trade for him; so an exchange ofanimals was easily and satisfactorily effected. 

The new horse being a small gray, we named him "Little Gray. "

An opportunity of testing the racing qualities of the horse was soonafforded. One day we drove into a small Missouri town or hamlet which layon our route, where the farmers from the surrounding country werecongregated for the purpose of having a holiday--the principal amusementbeing horse-racing. Father had no trouble in arranging a race for LittleGray, and selected one of his teamsters to ride him. 

The Missourians matched their fastest horse against him and wereconfident of cleaning out "the emigrant, " as they called father. Theywere a hard looking crowd. They wore their pantaloons in their boots;their hair was long, bushy and untrimmed; their faces had evidently nevermade the acquaintance of a razor. They seemed determined to win the raceby fair means or foul. They did a great deal of swearing, and swaggeredabout in rather a ruffianly style. 

All these incidents attracted my attention--everything being new tome--and became firmly impressed upon my memory. My father, beingunaccustomed to the ways of such rough people, acted very cautiously; andas they were all very anxious to bet on their own horse, he could not beinduced to wager a very large sum on Little Gray, as he was afraid offoul play. 

"Wa-al, now, stranger, " exclaimed one of the crowd, "what kind o' critterhave you got anyhow, as how you're afraid to back him up very heavy?"

"I'll bet five to one agin the emergrant's, gray, " said another. 

"I'm betting the same way. I'll go yer five hundred dollars agin ahundred that the gray nag gits left behind. Do I hear any man who wantsto come agin me on them yer terms?" shouted still another. 

"Hi! yer boys, give the stranger a chance. Don't scare him out ofhis boots, " said a man who evidently was afraid that my fathermight back out. 

Father had but little to say, however, and would not venture more thanfifty dollars on the result of the race. 

"Gentlemen, I am only racing my horse for sport, " said he, "and am onlybetting enough to make it interesting. I have never seen Little Gray run, and therefore don't know what he can do;" at the same time he wasconfident that his horse would come in the winner, as he had chosen anexcellent rider for him. 

Finally all the preliminaries of the contest were arranged. The judgeswere chosen and the money was deposited in the hands of a stake-holder. The race was to be a single dash, of a mile. The horses were brought sideby side and mounted by their riders. 

At the signal--"One, two, three, go!"--off they started like a flash. TheMissouri horse took the lead for the first quarter of a mile; at thehalf-mile, however, he began to weaken. The Missourians shoutedthemselves hoarse in urging their horse, but all to no avail. The LittleGray passed him and continued to leave him farther and farther behind, easily winning the race. 

The affair created a great deal of enthusiasm; but the race was conductedwith honor and fairness, which was quite an agreeable surprise to myfather, who soon found the Missourians to be at heart very clevermen--thus showing that outside appearances are sometimes very deceptive;they nearly all came up and congratulated him on his success, asked himwhy he had not bet more money on the race, and wanted to buy Little Gray. 

"Gentlemen, " said he, "when I drove up here and arranged for this race, Ifelt confident that my horse would win it. I was among entire strangers, and therefore I only bet a small amount. I was afraid that you wouldcheat me in some way or other. I see now that I was mistaken, as I havefound you to be honorable men. "

"Wa-all, you could have broke _me_" said the man who wanted to bet thefive hundred dollars to one hundred, "for that there nag o' yourn looksno more like a runner nor I do. "

During our stay in the place they treated us very kindly, and continuedto try to purchase Little Gray. My father, however, remained firm in hisdetermination not to part with him. 

The next place of interest which we reached, after resuming our journey, was within twenty miles of Weston. We had been stopping at farm housesalong the road, and could not get anything to eat in the shape of bread, except corn bread, of which all had become heartily tired. As we weredriving along, we saw in the distance a large and handsome brickresidence. Father said: "They probably have white bread there. "

We drove up to the house and learned that it was owned and occupied byMrs. Burns; mother of a well-known lawyer of that name, who is now livingin Leavenworth. She was a wealthy lady, and gave us to understand in apleasant way, that she did not entertain travelers. My father, in thecourse of the conversation with her, said: "Do you know Elijah Cody?"

"Indeed, I do, " said she; "he frequently visits us, and we visit him; weare the best of friends. "

"He is a brother of mine, " said father. 

"Is it possible!" she exclaimed; "Why, you must remain here all night. Have your family come into the house at once. You must not go anotherstep today. "

The kind invitation was accepted, and we remained there over night. Asfather had predicted, we found plenty of white bread at this house, andit proved quite a luxurious treat. 

My curiosity was considerably aroused by the many negroes which I sawabout the premises, as I had scarcely ever seen any colored people, the few, being on the steamboats as they passed up and down theMississippi river. 

The next day my father and mother drove over to Weston in a carriage, and returned with my Uncle Elijah. We then all proceeded to his house, and as Kansas was not yet open for settlement as a territory, we remainedthere a few days, while father crossed over into Kansas on a prospectingtour. He visited the Kickapoo agency--five miles above Weston--on theKansas side of the Missouri river. He became acquainted with the agent, and made arrangements to establish himself there as an Indian trader. Hethen returned to Weston and located the family on one of Elijah Cody'sfarms, three miles from town, where we were to remain until Kansas shouldbe thrown open for settlement. After completing these arrangements, heestablished a trading post at Salt Creek Valley, in Kansas, four milesfrom the Kickapoo agency. 

One day, after he had been absent some little time, he came home and saidthat he had bought two ponies for me, and that next morning he would takeme over into Kansas. This was pleasant news, as I had been very anxiousto go there with him, and the fact that I was now the owner of two poniesmade me feel very proud. That night I could not sleep a wink. In themorning I was up long before the sun, and after an early breakfast, father and I started out on our trip. Crossing the Missouri river at theRialto Ferry, we landed in Kansas and passed along to Fort Leavenworth, four miles distant. 

CHAPTER II

EARLY INFLUENCES. 

General Harney was in command at Fort Leavenworth at the time of ourvisit, and a regiment of cavalry was stationed there. They were having adress parade when we rode up, and as this was the first time that I hadever seen any soldiers, I thought it was a grand sight. I shall neverforget it, especially the manoeuvres on horseback. 

After witnessing the parade we resumed our journey. On the way to myfather's trading camp we had to cross over a high hill known as SaltCreek Hill, from the top of which we looked down upon the most beautifulvalley I have ever seen. It was about twelve miles long and five mileswide. The different tributaries of Salt Creek came down from the range ofhills at the southwest. At the foot of the valley another smallriver--Plum Creek, also flowed. The bluffs fringed with trees, clad intheir full foliage, added greatly to the picturesqueness of the scene. 

While this beautiful valley greatly interested me, yet the most novelsight, of an entirely different character, which met my enraptured gaze, was the vast number of white-covered wagons, or "prairie-schooners, "which were encamped along the different streams. I asked my father whatthey were and where they were going; he explained to me that they wereemigrant wagons bound for Utah and California. 

At that time the Mormon and California trails ran through thisvalley, which was always selected as a camping place. There were atleast one thousand wagons in the valley, and their white covers lenta pleasing contrast to the green grass. The cattle were quietlygrazing near the wagons, while the emigrants were either resting orattending to camp duties. 

A large number of the wagons, as I learned from my father, belonged toMajors & Russell, the great government freighters. They had severaltrains there, each consisting of twenty-five wagons, heavily loaded withgovernment supplies. They were all camped and corraled in a circle. 

While we were viewing this scene, a long wagon train came pulling up thehill, bound out from Fort Leavenworth to some distant frontier post. Thecattle were wild and the men were whipping them fearfully, the loudreports of the bull-whips sounding like gun-shots. They were"doubling-up, " and some of the wagons were being drawn by fifteen yokesof oxen. I remember asking my father a great many questions, and heexplained to me all about the freighting business across the greatplains, and told me about the different government posts. 

Pointing over to the army of wagons camped below us, he showed me whichwere the Mormons' and which were the Californians', and said that we muststeer clear of the former as the cholera was raging among them. Fivehundred had died that spring--1853--and the grave-yard was dailyincreasing its dimensions. The unfortunate people had been overtaken bythe dreadful disease, and had been compelled to halt on their journeyuntil it abated. 

While we were looking at the Mormons they were holding a funeral serviceover the remains of some of their number who had died. Their old cemeteryis yet indicated by various land-marks, which, however, with the fewremaining head-boards, are fast disappearing. 

We passed on through this "Valley of Death, " as it might then have beenvery appropriately called, and after riding for some time, my fatherpointed out a large hill and showed me his camp, which afterwardsbecame our home. 

There was another trading-post near by, which was conducted by Mr. M. P. Rively, who had a store built, partly frame, and partly of logs. We stopped at this establishment for a while, and found perhaps ahundred men, women and children gathered there, engaged in trading andgossipping. The men had huge pistols and knives in their belts; theirpantaloons were tucked in their boots; and they wore largebroad-rimmed hats. 

To me they appeared like a lot of cut-throat pirates who had come ashorefor a lark. It was the first time I had ever seen men carrying pistolsand knives, and they looked like a very dangerous crowd. Some were buyingarticles of merchandise; others were talking about the cholera, thevarious camps, and matters of interest; while others were drinking whiskyfreely and becoming intoxicated. It was a busy and an exciting scene, andRively appeared to be doing a rushing trade. 

At some little distance from the store I noticed a small party ofdark-skinned and rather fantastically dressed people, whom I ascertainedwere Indians, and as I had never before seen a real live Indian, I wasmuch interested in them. I went over and endeavored to talk to them, butour conversation was very limited. 

That evening we reached our camp, which was located two miles west ofRively's. The first thing I did was to hunt up my ponies, and from myfather's description of them, I had no difficulty in finding them. They were lariated in the grass and I immediately ran up to themsupposing them to be gentle animals. I was greatly mistaken, however, as they snorted and jumped away from me, and would not allow me tocome near them. 

My father, who was standing not far distant, informed me that the ponieswere not yet broken. I was somewhat disappointed at this; and thereuponhe and one of his men caught one of the animals and bridled her, thenputting me on her back, led her around, greatly to my delight. I keptpetting her so much that she soon allowed me to approach her. She was abeautiful bay, and I named her "Dolly;" the other pony was a sorrel, andI called him "Prince. "

In the evening some Indians visited the camp--which as yet consisted onlyof tents, though some logs had been cut preparatory to buildinghouses--and exchanged their furs for clothing, sugar and tobacco. Fatherhad not learned their language, and therefore communicated with them bymeans of signs. We had our supper by the camp-fire, and that night wasthe first time I ever camped out and slept upon the ground. 

The day had been an eventful one to me, for all the incidents were fullof excitement and romance to my youthful mind, and I think no apology isneeded for mentioning so many of the little circumstances, which sogreatly interested me in my childhood's days, and which no doubt had agreat influence in shaping my course in after years. My love of huntingand scouting, and life on the plains generally, was the result of myearly surroundings. 

The next morning father visited the Kickapoo agency, taking me along. Herode a horse, and putting me on my pony "Dolly, " led the animal all theway. He seemed anxious to break me in, as well as the pony, and Igreatly enjoyed this, my first day's ride on a Kansas prairie. 

At the Kickapoo village I saw hundreds of Indians, some of whom wereliving in lodges, but the majority occupied log cabins. The agent residedin a double-hewed log house, one of the apartments of which was used as aschool for the Indians. The agency store was opposite this structure. 

All the buildings were whitewashed, and looked neat and clean. TheKickapoos were very friendly Indians, and we spent much of our time amongthem, looking about and studying their habits. 

After a while we returned to our own camp, and just as we arrived there, we saw a drove of horses--there were three or four hundred inall--approaching from the west, over the California trail. They werebeing driven by seven or eight mounted men, wearing sombreros, anddressed in buckskin, with their lariats dangling from their saddles, andthey were followed by two or three pack-mules or horses. They went intocamp a little below us on the bank of the stream. 

Presently one of the men walked out towards our camp, and my fathercalled to me to come and see a genuine Western man; he was about six feettwo inches tall, was well built, and had a light, springy and wiry step. He wore a broad-brimmed California hat, and was dressed in a completesuit of buckskin, beautifully trimmed and beaded. He saluted us, andfather invited him to sit down, which he did. After a few momentsconversation, he turned to me and said:

"Little one, I see you are working with your ponies. They are wild yet. "

I had been petting Dolly and trying to break her, when my father calledme to come and look at the Californian. 

"Yes, " I replied, "and one of them never has been ridden. "

"Well, I'll ride him for you;" and springing lightly to his feet, hecontinued: "come on. Where is the animal?"

Accordingly we all went to the place where Prince was lariated. Thestranger untied the rope from the picket pin, and taking a half-looparound the pony's nose, he jumped on his back. 

In a moment he was flying over the prairie, the untamed steed rearing andpitching every once in a while in his efforts to throw his rider; but theman was not unseated. He was evidently an experienced horseman. I watchedhis every movement. I was unconsciously taking another lesson in thepractical education which has served me so well through my life. 

The Californian rode the pony until it was completely mastered, thencoming up to me, jumped to the ground, handed me the rope, and said:

"Here's your pony. He's all right now. "

I led Prince away, while father and the stranger sat down in the shade ofa tent, and began talking about the latter's horsemanship, which fatherconsidered very remarkable. 

"Oh, that's nothing; I was raised on horseback, " said the Californian; "Iran away from home when a boy, went to sea, and finally landed in theSandwich Islands, where I fell in with a circus, with which I remainedtwo years. During that time I became a celebrated bare-back rider. I thenwent to California, being attracted there by the gold excitement, thenews of which had reached the Islands. I did not go to mining, however, but went to work as a _bocarro_-catching and breaking wild horses, greatnumbers of which were roaming through California. Last summer we caughtthis herd that we have brought with us across the plains, and are takingit to the States to sell. I came with the outfit, as it gave me a goodopportunity to visit my relatives, who live at Cleveland, Ohio. I alsohad an uncle over at Weston, across the river, when I ran away, andto-morrow I am going to visit the town to see if he is there yet. "

[Illustration: BILLINGS AS A BOCARRO]

"I am acquainted in Weston, " said father, "and perhaps I can tell youabout your uncle. What is his name?"

"Elijah Cody, " said the Californian. 

"Elijah Cody!" exclaimed father, in great surprise; "why Elijah Cody ismy brother. I am Isaac Cody. Who are you?"

"My name is Horace Billings, " was the reply. 

"And you are my nephew. You are the son of my sister Sophia. "

Both men sprang to their feet and began shaking hands in the heartiestmanner possible. 

The next moment father called me, and said: "Come here, my son. Here issome one you want to know. "

As I approached he introduced us. "Horace, this is my only son. We callhim little Billy;" and turning to me said: "Billy, my boy, this is acousin of yours, Horace Billings, whom you've often heard me speak of. "

Horace Billings had never been heard of from the day he ran away fromhome, and his relatives had frequently wondered what had become of him. His appearance, therefore, in our camp in the guise of a Californian wassomewhat of a mystery to me, and I could hardly comprehend it until I hadheard his adventurous story and learned the accidental manner in which heand father had made themselves known to each other. 

Neither father nor myself would be satisfied until he had given us a fullaccount of his wanderings and adventures, which were very exciting to me. 

Late in the afternoon and just before the sun sank to rest, theconversation again turned upon horses and horsemanship. Father toldBillings all about Little Gray, and his great fault of running away. Billings laughed and said Little Gray could not run away with him. 

After supper he went out to look at the horse, which was picketed in thegrass. Surveying the animal carefully, he untied the lariat and slipped arunning noose over his nose; then giving a light bound, he was on hisback in a second, and away went the horse and his rider, circling roundand round on the prairie. Billings managed him by the rope alone, andconvinced him that he was his master. When half a mile away, the horsestarted for camp at the top of his speed. Billings stood straight up onhis back, and thus rode him into camp. As he passed us he jumped to theground, allowed the horse to run to the full length of the lariat, whenhe threw him a complete somersault. 

[Illustration: BILLINGS RIDING LITTLE GRAY. ]

"That's a pretty good horse, " said Billings. 

"Yes, he's a California horse; he was captured there wild, " repliedfather. The exhibition of horsemanship given by Billings on thisoccasion was really wonderful, and was the most skillful and daring featof the kind that I ever witnessed. The remainder of the evening was spentaround the camp, and Horace, who remained there, entertained us withseveral interesting chapters of his experiences. 

Next morning he walked over to his own camp, but soon returned, mountedon a beautiful horse, with a handsome saddle, bridle and lariat. Ithought he was a magnificent looking man. I envied his appearance, and myambition just then was to become as skillful a horseman as he was. He hadrigged himself out in his best style in order to make a good impressionon his uncle at Weston, whither father and I accompanied him onhorseback. 

He was cordially received by Uncle Elijah, who paid him every possibleattention, and gave me a handsome saddle and bridle for my pony, and inthe evening when we rode out to the farm to see my mother and sisters, Istarted ahead to show them my present, as well as to tell them who wascoming. They were delighted to see the long-lost Horace, and invited himto remain with us. When we returned to camp next day, Horace settled upwith the proprietor of the horses, having concluded to make his home withus for that summer at least. 

Father employed him in cutting house logs and building houses, but thiswork not being adapted to his tastes, he soon gave it up, and obtainedgovernment employment in catching United States horses. During theprevious spring the government herd had stampeded from Fort Leavenworth, and between two and three hundred of the horses were running at largeover the Kansas prairies, and had become quite wild. A reward of tendollars was offered for every one of the horses that was captured anddelivered to the quartermaster at Fort Leavenworth. This kind of work ofcourse just suited the roaming disposition of Billings, especially as itwas similar to that in which he had been engaged in California. Thehorses had to be caught with a lasso, with which he was very expert. Heborrowed Little Gray, who was fleet enough for the wildest of therunaways, and then he at once began his horse hunting. 

[Illustration: EXCITING SPORT. ]

Everything that he did, I wanted to do. He was a sort of hero in my eyes, and I wished to follow in his footsteps. At my request and with father'sconsent, he took me with him, and many a wild and perilous chase he ledme over the prairie. I made rapid advances in the art of horsemanship, for I could have had no better teacher than Horace Billings. He alsotaught me how to throw the lasso, which, though it was a difficult thingto learn, I finally became, quite skillful in. 

Whenever Horace caught one of the horses which acted obstinately, andwould not be led, he immediately threw him to the ground, put a saddleand bridle on him, and gave me Little Gray to take care of. He would thenmount the captive horse and ride him into Fort Leavenworth. I spent twomonths with Horace in this way, until at last no more of the horses wereto be found. By this time I had become a remarkably good rider for ayouth, and had brought both of my ponies under easy control. 

Horace returned to assist father in hauling logs, which were being usedin building a dwelling for the family who had moved over from Missouri. One day a team did not work to suit him, and he gave the horses a cruelbeating. This greatly displeased father, who took him to task for it. Horace's anger flew up in a moment; throwing down the lines he hurried tothe house, and began packing up his traps. That same day he hired out toa Mormon train, and bidding us all good-bye started for Salt Lake, driving six yokes of oxen. 

CHAPTER III. 

BOY DAYS IN KANSAS. 

During the summer of 1853 we lived in our little log house, and fathercontinued to trade with the Indians, who became very friendly; hardly aday passed without a social visit from them. I spent a great deal of timewith the Indian boys, who taught me how to shoot with the bow and arrow, at which I became quite expert. I also took part in all their sports, andlearned to talk the Kickapoo language to some extent. 

Father desired to express his friendship for these Indians, andaccordingly arranged a grand barbecue for them. He invited them all to bepresent on a certain day, which they were; he then presented them withtwo fat beeves, to be killed and cooked in the various Indian styles. Mother made several large boilers full of coffee, which she gave to them, together with sugar and bread. There were about two hundred Indians inattendance at the feast, and they all enjoyed and appreciated it. In theevening they had one of their grand fantastic war dances, which greatlyamused me, it being the first sight of the kind I had ever witnessed. 

My Uncle Elijah and quite a large number of gentlemen and ladies cameover from Weston to attend the entertainment. The Indians returned totheir homes well satisfied. 

My uncle at that time owned a trading post at Silver Lake, in thePottawattamie country, on the Kansas river, and he arranged an excursionto that place. Among the party were several ladies from Weston, andfather, mother and myself. Mr. McMeekan, my uncle's superintendent, whohad come to Weston for supplies, conducted the party to the post. 

The trip across the prairies was a delightful one, and we remained at thepost several days. Father and one or two of the men went on to Fort Rileyto view the country, and upon their return my uncle entertained thePottawattamie Indians with a barbecue similar to the one given by fatherto the Kickapoos. 

During the latter part of the summer father filled a hay contract at FortLeavenworth. I passed much of my time among the campers, and spent daysand days in riding over the country with Mr. William Russell, who wasengaged in the freighting business and who seemed to take a considerableinterest in me. In this way I became acquainted with many wagon-masters, hunters and teamsters, and learned a great deal about the business ofhandling cattle and mules. 

It was an excellent school for me, and I acquired a great deal ofpractical knowledge, which afterwards I found to be of invaluableservice, for it was not long before I became employed by Majors &Russell, remaining with them in different capacities, for several years. 

The winter of 1853-54 was spent by father at our little prairie home incutting house logs and fence rails, which he intended to use on his farm, as soon as the bill for the opening of the territory for settlementshould pass. This bill, which was called the "Enabling act of Kansasterritory, " was passed in April, 1854, and father immediately pre-emptedthe claim on which we were living. 

The summer of that year was an exciting period in the history of the newterritory. Thousands and thousands of people, seeking new homes, flockedthither, a large number of the emigrants coming over from adjoiningstates. The Missourians, some of them, would come laden with bottles ofwhisky, and after drinking the liquor would drive the bottles into theground to mark their land claims, not waiting to put up any buildings. 

The Missourians, mostly, were pro-slavery men, and held enthusiasticmeetings at which they expressed their desire that Kansas should be aslave state and did not hesitate to declare their determination to makeit so. Rively's store was the headquarters for these men, and there theyheld their meetings. 

[Illustration: STAKING OUT LOTS. ]

At first they thought father would coincide with them on account of hisbrother Elijah being a Missourian, but in this they were greatlymistaken. At one of their gatherings, when there were about one hundredof the reckless men present, my father, who happened also to be there, was called upon for a speech. After considerable urging, he mounted thebox and began speaking, as nearly as I can recollect, as follows:

"Gentlemen and Fellow-citizens: You have called upon me for a speech, andI have accepted your invitation rather against my will, as my views maynot accord with the sentiments of the rest of this assembly. My remarks, at this time, will be brief and to the point. The question before usto-day is, shall the territory of Kansas be a free or a slave state. Thequestion of slavery in itself is a broad one, and one which I do not careat this time and place to discuss at length. I apprehend that your motivein calling upon me is to have me express my sentiments in regard to theintroduction of slavery into Kansas. I shall gratify your wishes in thatrespect. I was one of the pioneers of the State of Iowa, and aided in itssettlement when it was a territory, and helped to organize it as a state. 

"Gentlemen, I voted that it should be a _white_ state--that negroes, whether free or slave, should never be allowed to locate within itslimits; and, gentlemen, I say to you now, and I say it boldly, that Ipropose to exert all my power in making Kansas the same kind of a stateas Iowa. I believe in letting slavery remain as it now exists, and Ishall always oppose its further extension. These are my sentiments, gentlemen and let me tell you--"

He never finished this sentence, or his speech. His expressions wereanything but acceptable to the rough-looking crowd, whose ire had beengradually rising to fever heat, and at this point they hooted and hissedhim, and shouted, "You black abolitionist, shut up!" "Get down from thatbox!" "Kill him!" "Shoot him!" and so on. Father, however, maintained hisposition on the dry-goods box, notwithstanding the excitement and thenumerous invitations to step down, until a hot-headed pro-slavery man, who was in the employ of my Uncle Elijah, crowded up and said: "Get offthat box, you black abolitionist, or I'll pull you off. "

Father paid but little attention to him, and attempted to resume hisspeech, intending doubtless to explain his position and endeavor tosomewhat pacify the angry crowd. But the fellow jumped up on the box, andpulling out a huge bowie knife, stabbed father twice, who reeled and fellto the ground. The man sprang after him, and would have ended his lifethen and there, had not some of the better men in the crowd interfered intime to prevent him from carrying out his murderous intention. 

The excitement was intense, and another assault would probably have beenmade on my father, had not Rively hurriedly carried him to his home. There was no doctor within any reasonable distance, and father at oncerequested that he be conveyed in the carriage to his brother Elijah'shouse in Weston. My mother and a driver accordingly went there with him, where his wounds were dressed. He remained in Weston several weeks beforehe was able to stir about again, but he never fully recovered from thewounds, which eventually proved the cause of his death. 

[Illustration: MY FATHER STABBED]

My uncle of course at once discharged the ruffian from his employ. Theman afterwards became a noted desperado, and was quite conspicuous in theKansas war. 

My father's indiscreet speech at Rively's brought upon our family all ofthe misfortunes and difficulties which from that time on befell us. Assoon as he was able to attend to his business again, the Missouriansbegan to harass him in every possible way, and kept it up with hardly amoment's cessation. Kickapoo City, as it was called, a small town thathad sprung into existence seven miles up the river from FortLeavenworth, became the hot-bed of the pro-slavery doctrine and theheadquarters of its advocates. Here was really the beginning of theKansas troubles. My father, who had shed the first blood in the cause ofthe freedom of Kansas, was notified, upon his return to his trading post, to leave the territory, and he was threatened with death by hanging orshooting, if he dared to remain. 

[Illustration: MY FATHER'S ESCAPE]

One night a body of armed men, mounted on horses, rode up to our houseand surrounded it. Knowing what they had come for, and seeing that therewould be but little chance for him in an encounter with them, fatherdetermined to make his escape by a little stratagem. Hastily disguisinghimself in mother's bonnet and shawl, he boldly walked out of the houseand proceeded towards the corn-field. The darkness proved a greatprotection, as the horsemen, between whom he passed, were unable todetect him in his disguise; supposing him to be a woman, they neitherhalted him nor followed him, and he passed safely on into thecorn-field, where he concealed himself. 

The horsemen soon dismounted and inquired for father; mother verytruthfully told them that he was away. They were not satisfied with herstatement, however, and they at once made a thorough search of the house. They raved and swore when they could not find him, and threatened himwith death whenever they should catch him. I am sure if they had capturedhim that night, they would have killed him. They carried off nearlyeverything of value in the house and about the premises; then going tothe pasture, they drove off all the horses; my pony Prince afterwardsucceeding in breaking away from them and came back home. Father laysecreted in the corn-field for three days, as there were men in thevicinity who were watching for him all the time; he finally made hisescape, and reached Fort Leavenworth in safety, whither the pro-slaverymen did not dare to follow him. 

While he was staying at Fort Leavenworth, he heard that Jim Lane, CaptainCleveland and Captain Chandler were on their way from Indiana to Kansaswith a body of Free State men, between two and three hundred strong. Theywere to cross the Missouri river near Doniphan, between Leavenworth andNebraska City; their destination being Lawrence. Father determined tojoin them, and took passage on a steamboat which was going up the river. Having reached the place of crossing, he made himself known to theleaders of the party, by whom he was most cordially received. 

The pro-slavery men, hearing of the approach of the Free State party, resolved to drive them out of the territory. The two parties met atHickory Point, where a severe battle was fought, several being killed;the victory resulted in favor of the Free State men, who passed on toLawrence without much further opposition. My father finally left them, and seeing that he could no longer live at home, went to GrasshopperFalls, thirty-five miles west of Leavenworth; there he began theerection of a saw-mill. 

While he was thus engaged we learned from one of our hired workmen athome, that the pro-slavery men had laid another plan to kill him, andwere on their way to Grasshopper Falls to carry out their intention. Mother at once started me off on Prince to warn father of the comingdanger. When I had gone about seven miles I suddenly came upon a party ofmen, who were camped at the crossing of Stranger Creek. As I passed alongI heard one of them, who recognized me, say, "That's the son of the oldabolitionist we are after;" and the next moment I was commanded to halt. 

[Illustration: LIFE OR DEATH. ]

Instead of stopping I instantly started my pony on a run, and on lookingback I saw that I was being pursued by three or four of the party, whohad mounted their horses, no doubt supposing that they could easilycapture me. It was very fortunate that I had heard the remark about mybeing "the son of the abolitionist, " for then I knew in an instant thatthey were _en route_ to Grasshopper Falls to murder my father. I at oncesaw the importance of my escaping and warning father in time. It was amatter of life or death to him. So I urged Prince to his utmost speed, feeling that upon him and myself depended a human life--a life that wasdearer to me than that of any other man in the world. I led my pursuers alively chase for four or five miles; finally, when they saw they couldnot catch me, they returned to their camp. I kept straight on toGrasshopper Falls, arriving there in ample time to inform him of theapproach of his old enemies. 

That same night father and I rode to Lawrence, which had become theheadquarters of the Free State men. There he met Jim Lane and severalother leading characters, who were then organizing what was known as theLecompton Legislature. 

Father was elected as a member of that body, and took an active part inorganizing the first legislature of Kansas, under Governor Reeder, who, by the way, was a Free State man and a great friend of father's. 

About this time agents were being sent to the East to induce emigrants tolocate in Kansas, and father was sent as one of these agents to Ohio. After the legislature had been organized at Lawrence, he departed forOhio and was absent several months. 

A few days after he had gone, I started for home by the way of FortLeavenworth, accompanied by two men, who were going to the fort onbusiness. As we were crossing a stream called Little Stranger, we werefired upon by some unknown party; one of my companions, whose name hasescaped my memory, was killed. The other man and myself put spurs to ourhorses and made a dash for our lives. We succeeded in making our escape, though a farewell shot or two was sent after us. At Fort Leavenworth Iparted company with my companion, and reached home without any furtheradventure. 

My mother and sisters, who had not heard of my father or myself since Ihad been sent to warn him of his danger, had become very anxious anduneasy about us, and were uncertain as to whether we were dead or alive. I received a warm welcome home, and as I entered the house, mother seemedto read from the expression of my countenance that father was safe; ofcourse the very first question she asked was as to his whereabouts, andin reply I handed her a long letter from him which explained everything. Mother blessed me again and again for having saved his life. 

While father was absent in Ohio, we were almost daily visited by some ofthe pro-slavery men, who helped themselves to anything they saw fit, andfrequently compelled my mother and sisters to cook for them, and tootherwise submit to a great deal of bad treatment. Hardly a day passedwithout some of them inquiring "where the old man was, " saying they wouldkill him on sight. Thus we passed the summer of 1854, remaining at ourhome notwithstanding the unpleasant surroundings, as mother had made upher mind not to be driven out of the country. My uncle and other friendsadvised her to leave Kansas and move to Missouri, because they did notconsider our lives safe, as we lived so near the headquarters of thepro-slavery men, who had sworn vengeance upon father. 

Nothing, however, could persuade mother to change her determination. Shesaid that the pro-slavery men had taken everything except the land andthe little home, and she proposed to remain there as long as she lived, happen what might. Our only friends in Salt Creek valley were twofamilies; one named Lawrence, the other Hathaway, and the peaceableIndians, who occasionally visited us. My uncle, living in Missouri andbeing somewhat in fear of the pro-slavery men, could not assist us much, beyond expressing his sympathy and sending us provisions. 

In the winter of 1854-55 father returned from Ohio, but as soon as hisold enemies learned that he was with us, they again compelled him toleave. He proceeded to Lawrence, and there spent the winter in attendingthe Lecompton Legislature. The remainder of the year he passed mostly atGrasshopper Falls, where he completed his saw-mill. He occasionallyvisited home under cover of the night, and in the most secret manner;virtually carrying his life in his hand. 

In the spring of this year (1855) a pro-slavery party came to our houseto search for father; not finding him, they departed, taking with them mypony, Prince. I shall never forget the man who stole that pony. Heafterwards rose from the low level of a horse thief to the high dignityof a justice of the peace, and I think still lives at Kickapoo. The lossof my faithful pony nearly broke my heart and bankrupted me in business, as I had nothing to ride. 

One day, soon afterwards, I met my old friend, Mr. Russell, to whom Irelated all my troubles, and his generous heart was touched by my story. "Billy, my boy, " said he, "cheer up, and come to Leavenworth, and I'llemploy you. I'll give you twenty-five dollars a month to herd cattle. "

I accepted the offer, and heartily thanking him, hurried home to obtainmother's consent. She refused to let me go, and all my pleading was invain. Young as I was--being then only in my tenth year, my ideas andknowledge of the world, however, being far in advance of my age--Idetermined to run away from home. Mr. Russell's offer of twenty-fivedollars a month was a temptation which I could not resist. Theremuneration for my services seemed very large to me, and I accordinglystole away and walked to Leavenworth. 

Mr. Badger, one of Mr. Russell's superintendents, immediately sent meout, mounted on a little gray mule, to herd cattle. I worked at this fortwo months, and then came into Leavenworth. I had not been home duringall this time, but mother had learned from Mr. Russell where I was, andshe no longer felt uneasy, as he had advised her to let me remain in hisemploy. He assured her that I was all right, and said that when the herdcame in he would allow me to make a visit home. 

Upon my arrival in Leavenworth with the herd of cattle, Mr. Russellinstructed his book-keeper, Mr. Byers, to pay me my wages, amounting tofifty dollars. Byers gave me the sum all in half-dollar pieces. I put thebright silver coins into a sack, which I tied to my mule, and startedhome, thinking myself a _millionaire_. This money I gave to mother, whohad already forgiven me for running away. 

Thus began my service for the firm of Russell & Majors, afterwardsRussell, Majors & Waddell, with whom I spent seven years of my life indifferent capacities--such as cavallard-driver, wagon-master, ponyexpress rider and driver. I continued to work for Mr. Russell duringthe rest of the summer of 1855, and in the winter of 1855-56 Iattended school. 

Father, who still continued to secretly visit home, was anxious to havehis children receive as much of an education as possible, under theadverse circumstances surrounding us, and he employed a teacher, MissJennie Lyons, to come to our house and teach. My mother was welleducated--more so than my father--and it used to worry her a great dealbecause her children could not receive better educational advantages. However, the little school at home got along exceedingly well, and we allmade rapid advances in our studies, as Miss Lyons was an excellentteacher. She afterwards married a gentleman named Hook, who became thefirst mayor of Cheyenne, where she now lives. 

The Kansas troubles reached their highest pitch in the spring of 1856, and our family continued to be harassed as much as ever by our oldenemies. I cannot now recollect one-half of the serious difficulties thatwe had to encounter; but I very distinctly remember one incident wellworth relating. I came home one night on a visit from Leavenworth, beingaccompanied by a fellow-herder--a young man. During the night we heard anoise outside of the house, and soon the dogs began barking loudly. Welooked out to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, and saw that thehouse was surrounded by a party of men. Mother had become accustomed tosuch occurrences, and on this occasion she seemed to be master of thesituation from the start. Opening a window, she coolly sang out, in afirm tone of voice: "Who are you? What do you want here?"

"We are after that old abolition husband of yours, " was the answer fromone of the crowd. 

"He is not in this house, and has not been here for a long time, " saidmy mother. 

"That's a lie! We know he is in the house, and we are bound to have him, "said the spokesman of the party. 

I afterwards learned they had mistaken the herder, who had ridden homewith me, for my father for whom they had been watching. 

"My husband is not at home, " emphatically repeated my heroic mother--forif there ever was a heroine she certainly was one--"but the house is fullof armed men, " continued she, "and I'll give you just two minutes to getout of the yard; if you are not out by the end of that time I shall orderthem to fire on you. "

She withdrew from the window for a few moments and hurriedly instructedthe herder to call aloud certain names--any that he might think of--justas if the house was full of men to whom he was giving orders. He followedher directions to the very letter. He could not have done it any betterhad he rehearsed the act a dozen times. 

The party outside heard him, as it was intended they should, and theysupposed that my mother really had quite a force at her command. Whilethis little by play was being enacted, she stepped to the open windowagain and said:

"John Green, you and your friends had better go away or the men willsurely fire on you. "

At this, point the herder, myself and my sisters commenced stamping onthe floor in imitation of a squad of soldiers, and the herder issued hisorders in a loud voice to his imaginary troops, who were apparentlyapproaching the window preparatory to firing a volley at the enemy. Thislittle stratagem proved eminently successful. The cowardly villains beganretreating, and then my mother fired an old gun into the air whichgreatly accelerated their speed, causing them to break and run. They soondisappeared from view in the darkness. 

The next morning we accidentally discovered that they had intended toblow up the house. Upon going into the cellar which had been left open onone side, we found two kegs of powder together with a fuse secretedthere. It only required a lighted match to have sent us into eternity. Mymother's presence of mind, which had never yet deserted her in any tryingsituation, had saved our lives. 

Shortly after this affair, I came home again on a visit and found fatherthere sick with fever, and confined to his bed. One day my old enemy rodeup to the house on my pony Prince, which he had stolen from me. 

"What is your business here to-day?" asked mother. 

"I am looking for the old man, " he replied. "I am going to search thehouse, and if I find him I am going to kill him. Here, you girls, " saidhe, addressing my sisters, "get me some dinner, and get it quick, too, for I am as hungry as a wolf. "

"Very well; pray be seated, and we'll get you something to eat, " said oneof my sisters, without exhibiting the least sign of fear. 

He sat down, and while they were preparing a dinner for him, he took outa big knife and sharpened it on a whetstone, repeating his threat ofsearching the house and killing my father. 

I had witnessed the whole proceeding, and heard the threats, and Idetermined that the man should never go up stairs where father was lyingin bed, unable to rise. Taking a double-barreled pistol which I hadrecently bought, I went to the head of the stairs, cocked the weapon, andwaited for the ruffian to come up, determined, that the moment he setfoot on the steps I would kill him. I was relieved, however, from thestern necessity, as he did not make his appearance. 

The brute was considerably intoxicated when he came to the house, and thelonger he sat still the more his brain became muddled with liquor, and heactually forgot what he had come there for. After he had eaten hisdinner, he mounted his horse and rode off, and it was a fortunate thingfor him that he did. 

Father soon recovered and returned to Grasshopper Falls, while I resumedmy cattle herding. 

CHAPTER IV. 

YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCES. 

In July, 1856, the people living in the vicinity of our home--feeling thenecessity of more extensive educational facilities for their childrenthan they had yet had--started a subscription school in a little logcabin on the bank of the creek, which for a while proved quite a success. My mother being very anxious to have me attend this school, I acceded toher oft-repeated wishes, and returning home, I became a pupil of theinstitution. I made considerable progress in my studies--such as theywere--and was getting along very well in every other respect, until Ibecame involved in my first love affair. 

Like all school-boys, I had a sweetheart with whom I was "dead inlove"--in a juvenile way. Her name was Mary Hyatt. Of course I had arival, Stephen Gobel, a boy about three years my senior--the "bully"of the school. He was terribly jealous, and sought in every way torevenge himself upon me for having won the childish affections ofsweet little Mary. 

The boys of the school used to build play-houses or arbors among thetrees and bushes for their sweethearts. I had built a play-house forMary, when Steve, as we called him, leveled it to the ground. Weimmediately had a very lively fight, in which I got badly beaten. Theteacher heard of our quarrel and whipped us both. This made matters worsethan ever, as I had received two thrashings to Steve's one; I smotheredmy angry feelings as much as possible under the humiliatingcircumstances, and during the afternoon recess built another play-house, thinking that Gobel would not dare to destroy a second one; but I wasmistaken, for he pushed the whole structure over at the firstopportunity. I came up to him just as he finished the job, and said:

"Steve Gobel, the next time you do that, I'll hurt you. " And I meant it, too; but he laughed and called me names. 

[Illustration: TWO TO ONE. ]

At recess, next morning, I began the construction of still anotherplayhouse, and when I had it about two-thirds finished, Steve slylysneaked up to the spot and tipped the whole thing over. I jumped for himwith the quickness of a cat, and clutching him by the throat for a momentI had the advantage of him. But he was too strong for me, and soon had meon the ground and was beating me severely. While away from home I hadsomeway come into possession of a very small pocket dagger, which I hadcarried about with me in its sheath, using it in place of a knife. Duringthe struggle this fell from my pocket, and my hand by accident restedupon it as it lay upon the ground. Exasperated beyond measure at Steve'spersistence in destroying my play-houses, and smarting under his blows, Iforgot myself for the moment, grasped the dagger and unthinkingly thrustit into Steve's thigh. Had it been larger it would probably have injuredhim severely; as it was, it made a small wound, sufficient to cause theblood to flow freely and Steve to cry out in affright:

"I am killed! O, I am killed!"

The school children all rushed to the spot and were terrified atthe scene. 

"What's the matter?" asked one. 

"Bill Cody has killed Steve Gobel, " replied another. 

The uproar reached the teacher's ear, and I now saw him approaching, withvengeance in his eye and a big club in his hand. I knew that he wascoming to interview _me_. I was dreadfully frightened at what I had done, and undecided whether to run away or to remain and take the consequences;but the sight of that flag-staff in the school teacher's hand was toomuch for me. I no longer hesitated, but started off like a deer. Theteacher followed in hot pursuit, but soon became convinced that he couldnot catch me, and gave up the chase. I kept on running, until I reachedone of Russell, Major & Waddell's freight trains which I had noticedgoing over the hill for the west. Fortunately for me I knew thewagon-master, John Willis, and as soon as I recovered my breath I toldhim what had happened. 

"Served him right, Billy, " said he, "and what's more, we'll go over andclean out the teacher. "

"Oh, no; don't do that, " said I, for I was afraid that I might fallinto the hands of the wounded boy's friends, who I knew would soon belooking for me. 

"Well, Billy, come along with me; I am bound for Fort Kearney; the tripwill take me forty days. I want you for a cavallard driver. "

"All right, " I replied, "but I must go home and tell mother about it, andget some clothes. "

"Well then, to-night after we make our camp, I'll go back with you. "

The affray broke up the school for the rest of the day as the excitementwas too much for the children. Late in the afternoon, after the train hadmoved on some considerable distance, I saw Steve's father, his brotherFrank, and one of the neighbors rapidly approaching. 

"Mr. Willis, there comes old Gobel, with Frank and somebody else, andthey are after me--what am I going to do?" I asked. 

"Let 'em come, " said he, "they can't take you if I've got anything to sayabout it, and I rather think I have. Get into one of the wagons--keepquiet and lay low. I'll manage this little job. Don't you fret a bitabout it. "

I obeyed his orders and felt much easier. 

Old Gobel, Frank and the neighbor soon came up and inquired for me. 

"He's around here somewhere, " said Mr. Willis. 

"We want him, " said Gobel; "he stabbed my son a little while ago, and Iwant to arrest him. "

"Well, you can't get him; that settles it; so you needn't waste any ofyour time around here, " said Willis. 

Gobel continued to talk for a few minutes, but getting no greatersatisfaction, the trio returned home. 

When night came, Willis accompanied me on horseback to my home. Mother, who had anxiously searched for me everywhere--being afraid that somethinghad befallen me at the hands of the Gobels--was delighted to see me, notwithstanding the difficulty in which I had become involved. I at oncetold her that at present I was afraid to remain at home, and hadaccordingly made up my mind to absent myself for a few weeks ormonths--at least until the excitement should die out. Mr. Willis said toher that he would take me to Fort Kearney with him, and see that I wasproperly cared for, and would bring me back safely in forty days. 

Mother at first seriously objected to my going on this trip fearing Iwould fall into the hands of Indians. Her fears, however, were soonovercome, and she concluded to let me go. She fixed me up a big bundle ofclothing and gave me a quilt. Kissing her and my sisters a fond farewell, I started off on my first trip across the plains, and with a light hearttoo, notwithstanding my trouble of a few hours before. 

The trip proved a most enjoyable one to me, although no incidentsworthy of note occurred on the way. On my return from Fort Kearney Iwas paid off the same as the rest of the employees. The remainder ofthe summer and fall I spent in herding cattle and working for Russell, Majors & Waddell. 

I finally ventured home--not without some fear, however, of the Gobelfamily--and was delighted to learn that during my absence mother had hadan interview with Mr. Gobel, and having settled the difficulty with him, the two families had become friends again, and I may state, incidentally, that they ever after remained so. I have since often met Stephen Gobel, and we have had many a laugh together over our love affair and the affrayat the school-house. Mary Hyatt, the innocent cause of the wholedifficulty, is now married and living in Chicago. Thus ended my firstlove scrape. 

In the winter of 1856-57 my father, in company with a man named J. C. Boles, went to Cleveland, Ohio, and organized a colony of about thirtyfamilies, whom they brought to Kansas and located on the Grasshopper. Several of these families still reside there. 

It was during this winter that father, after his return from Cleveland, caught a severe cold. This, in connection with the wound he had receivedat Rively's--from which he had never entirely recovered--affected himseriously, and in April, 1857, he died at home from kidney disease. 

This sad event left my mother and the family in poor circumstances, and Idetermined to follow the plains for a livelihood for them and myself. Ihad no difficulty in obtaining work under my old employers, and in May, 1857, I started for Salt Lake City with a herd of beef cattle, in chargeof Frank and Bill McCarthy, for General Albert Sidney Johnson's army, which was then being sent across the plains to fight the Mormons. 

Nothing occurred to interrupt our journey until we reached Plum Creek, onthe South Platte river, thirty-five miles west of Old Fort Kearney. Wehad made a morning drive and had camped for dinner. The wagon-masters anda majority of the men had gone to sleep under the mess wagons; the cattlewere being guarded by three men, and the cook was preparing dinner. Noone had any idea that Indians were anywhere near us. The first warning wehad that they were infesting that part of the country was the firing ofshots and the whoops and yells from a party of them, who, catching usnapping, gave us a most unwelcome surprise. All the men jumped to theirfeet and seized their guns. They saw with astonishment the cattle runningin every direction, they having been stampeded by the Indians, who hadshot and killed the three men who were on day-herd duty, and the reddevils were now charging down upon the rest of us. 

I then thought of mother's fears of my falling into the hands of theIndians, and I had about made up my mind that such was to be my fate; butwhen I saw how coolly and determinedly the McCarthy brothers wereconducting themselves and giving orders to the little band, I becameconvinced that we would "stand the Indians off, " as the saying is. Ourmen were all well armed with Colt's revolvers and Mississippi yagers, which last, carried a bullet, and two buckshots. 

The McCarthy boys, at the proper moment, gave orders to fire upon theadvancing enemy. The volley checked them, although they returned thecompliment, and shot one of our party through the leg. Frank McCarthythen sang out, "Boys, make a break for the slough yonder, and we can thenhave the bank for a breast-work. "

[Illustration: KILLING MY FIRST INDIAN. ]

We made a run for the slough which was only a short distance off, and succeeded in safely reaching it, bringing with us the woundedman. The bank proved to be a very effective breast-work, affordingus good protection. We had been there but a short time when FrankMcCarthy, seeing that the longer we were corraled the worse it wouldbe for us, said:

"Well, boys, we'll try to make our way back to Fort Kearney by wading inthe river and keeping the bank for a breast-work. "

We all agreed that this was the best plan, and we accordingly proceededdown the river several miles in this way, managing to keep the Indians ata safe distance with our guns, until the slough made a junction with themain Platte river. From there down we found the river at times quitedeep, and in order to carry the wounded man along with us we constructeda raft of poles for his accommodation, and in this way he wastransported. 

Occasionally the water would be too deep for us to wade, and we wereobliged to put our weapons on the raft and swim. The Indians followed uspretty close, and were continually watching for an opportunity to get agood range and give us a raking fire. Covering ourselves by keeping wellunder the bank, we pushed ahead as rapidly as possible, and made prettygood progress, the night finding us still on the way and our enemiesstill on our track. 

I being the youngest and smallest of the party, became somewhat tired, and without noticing it I had fallen behind the others for some littledistance. It was about ten o'clock and we were keeping very quiet andhugging close to the bank, when I happened to look up to the moon-lit skyand saw the plumed head of an Indian peeping over the bank. Instead ofhurrying ahead and alarming the men in a quiet way, I instantly aimed mygun at the head and fired. The report rang out sharp and loud on thenight air, and was immediately followed by an Indian whoop, and the nextmoment about six feet of dead Indian came tumbling into the river. I wasnot only overcome with astonishment, but was badly scared, as I couldhardly realize what I had done. I expected to see the whole force ofIndians come down upon us. While I was standing thus bewildered, the men, who had heard the shot and the war-whoop and had seen the Indian take atumble, came rushing back. 

"Who fired that shot?" cried Frank McCarthy. 

"I did, " replied I, rather proudly, as my confidence returned and I sawthe men coming up. 

"Yes, and little Billy has killed an Indian stone-dead--too dead toskin, " said one of the men, who had approached nearer than the rest, andhad almost stumbled upon the corpse. From that time forward I became ahero and an Indian killer. This was, of course, the first Indian I hadever shot, and as I was not then more than eleven years of age, myexploit created quite a sensation. 

The other Indians, upon learning what had happened to their "advanceguard, " set up a terrible howling, and fired several volleys at us, butwithout doing any injury, as we were so well protected by the bank. Weresumed our journey down the river, and traveled all night long. Justbefore daylight, Frank McCarthy crawled out over the bank and discoveredthat we were only five miles from Fort Kearney, which post we reached insafety in about two hours, --shortly after _reveille_--bringing thewounded man with us. It was indeed a relief to us all to feel that oncemore we were safe. 

Frank McCarthy immediately reported to the commanding officer andinformed him of all that had happened. The commandant at once ordered acompany of cavalry and one of infantry to proceed to Plum Creek on aforced march--taking a howitzer with them--to endeavor to recapture thecattle from the Indians. 

The firm of Russell, Majors & Waddell had a division agent at Kearney, and this agent mounted us on mules so that we could accompany the troops. On reaching the place where the Indians had surprised us, we found thebodies of the three men whom they had killed and scalped, and literallycut into pieces. We of course buried the remains. We caught but few ofthe cattle; the most of them having been driven off and stampeded withthe buffaloes, there being numerous immense herds of the latter in thatsection of the country at that time. The Indian's trail was discoveredrunning south towards the Republican river, and the troops followed it tothe head of Plum Creek, and there abandoned it, returning to Fort Kearneywithout having seen a single red-skin. 

The company's agent, seeing that there was no further use for us in thatvicinity--as we had lost our cattle and mules--sent us back to FortLeavenworth. The company, it is proper to state, did not have to standthe loss of the expedition, as the government held itself responsible forsuch depredations by the Indians. 

On the day that I got into Leavenworth, sometime in July, I wasinterviewed for the first time in my life by a newspaper reporter, andthe next morning I found my name in print as "the youngest Indian slayeron the plains. " I am candid enough to admit that I felt very much elatedover this notoriety. Again and again I read with eager interest the longand sensational account of our adventure. My exploit was related in avery graphic manner, and for a long time afterwards I was considerable ofa hero. The reporter who had thus set me up, as I then thought, on thehighest pinnacle of fame, was John Hutchinson, and I felt very gratefulto him. He now lives in Wichita, Kansas. 

CHAPTER V. 

IN BUSINESS. 

In the summer of 1857, Russell, Majors & Waddell were sending a greatmany trains across the plains to Salt Lake with supplies for GeneralJohnston's army. Men were in great demand, and the company was payingteamsters forty dollars per month in gold. An old and reliablewagon-master, named Lewis Simpson--who had taken a great fancy to me, andwho, by the way, was one of the best wagon-masters that ever ran a bulltrain--was loading a train for the company, and was about to start outwith it for Salt Lake. He asked me to go along as an "extra hand. " Thehigh wages that were being paid were a great inducement to me, and theposition of an "extra hand" was a pleasant one. All that I would have todo would be to take the place of any man who became sick, and drive hiswagon until he recovered. I would have my own mule to ride, and to acertain extent I would be a minor boss. 

My mother was very much opposed to my taking this long trip, as I wouldbe absent nearly a year, and there was a possibility that somethingmight arise to prevent me from ever coming back, as we could not oftentell how the Mormon difficulty would terminate. Then again, owing to theIndians, a journey over the plains in those days was a perilousundertaking. She said that as I had recently returned from the plains, and had had a narrow escape from death at the hands of the Indians, shedid not want me to risk my life a second time. I told her that inasmuchas I had determined to follow the plains for an occupation, nothingcould now stop me from going on this trip, and if it became necessary Iwould run away. 

Seeing that it was impossible to keep me at home, she reluctantly gaveher consent, but not until she had called upon Mr. Russell and Mr. Simpson in regard to the matter, and had obtained from the lattergentleman his promise that I should be well taken care of, if we had towinter in the mountains. She did not like the appearance of Simpson, andupon inquiry she learned, to her dismay, that he was a desperatecharacter, and that on nearly every trip he had made across the plains hehad killed some one. Such a man, she thought, was not a fit master orcompanion for her son, and she was very anxious to have me go with someother wagon-master; but I still insisted upon remaining with Simpson. 

"Madam, I can assure you that Lew. Simpson is one of the most reliablewagon-masters on the plains, " said Mr. Russell, "and he has taken a greatfancy to Billy. If your boy is bound to go, he can go with no better man. No one will dare to impose on him while he is with Lew. Simpson, whom Iwill instruct to take good care of the boy. Upon reaching Fort Laramie, Billy can, if he wishes, exchange places with some fresh man coming backon a returning train, and thus come home without making the whole trip. "

This seemed to satisfy mother, and then she had a long talk with Simpsonhimself, imploring him not to forget his promise to take good care of herprecious boy. He promised everything that she asked. Thus, after muchtrouble, I became one of the members of Simpson's train. Before takingour departure, I arranged with Russell, Majors & Waddell that when my payshould fall due it should be paid over to mother. 

As a matter of interest to the general reader, it may be well in thisconnection to give a brief description of a freight train. The wagonsused in those days by Russell, Majors & Waddell were known as the "J. Murphy wagons, " made at St. Louis specially for the plains business. Theywere very large and were strongly built, being capable of carrying seventhousand pounds of freight each. The wagon-boxes were verycommodious--being as large as the rooms of an ordinary house--and werecovered with two heavy canvas sheets to protect the merchandise from therain. These wagons were generally sent out from Leavenworth, each loadedwith six thousand pounds of freight, and each drawn by several yokes ofoxen in charge of one driver. A train consisted of twenty-five wagons, all in charge of one man, who was known as the wagon-master. The secondman in command was the assistant wagon-master; then came the "extrahand, " next the night herder; and lastly, the cavallard driver, whoseduty it was to drive the lame and loose cattle. There were thirty-one menall told in a train. The men did their own cooking, being divided intomesses of seven. One man cooked, another brought wood and water, anotherstood guard, and so on, each having some duty to perform while gettingmeals. All were heavily armed with Colt's pistols and Mississippi yagers, and every one always had his weapons handy so as to be prepared for anyemergency. 

The wagon-master, in the language of the plains, was called the"bull-wagon boss"; the teamsters were known as "bull-whackers"; and thewhole train was denominated a "bull-outfit. " Everything at that time wascalled an "outfit. " The men of the plains were always full of drollhumor and exciting stories of their own experiences, and many an hour Ispent in listening to the recitals of thrilling adventures andhair-breadth escapes. 

Russell, Majors & Waddell had in their employ two hundred and fiftytrains, composed of 6, 250 wagons, 75, 000 oxen, and about eight thousandmen; their business reaching to all the government frontier posts in thenorth and west, to which they transported supplies, and they also carriedfreight as far south as New Mexico. 

[Illustration: A PRAIRIE SCHOONER. ]

The trail to Salt Lake ran through Kansas to the northwest, crossing theBig Blue river, then over the Big and Little Sandy, coming into Nebraskanear the Big Sandy. The next stream of any importance was the LittleBlue, along which the trail ran for sixty miles; then crossed a range ofsand-hills and struck the Platte river ten miles below Old Fort Kearney;thence the course lay up the South Platte to the old Ash Hollow Crossing, thence eighteen miles across to the North Platte--near the mouth of theBlue Water, where General Harney had his great battle in 1855 with theSioux and Cheyenne Indians. From this point the North Platte wasfollowed, passing Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, andthen on to Fort Laramie, where the Laramie River was crossed. Stillfollowing the North Platte for some considerable distance, the trailcrossed this river at old Richard's Bridge, and followed it up to thecelebrated Red Buttes--crossing the Willow creeks to the Sweet Water, passing the great Independence Rock and the Devil's gate, up to the ThreeCrossings of the Sweet Water, thence past the Cold Springs, where, threefeet under the sod, on the hottest day of summer, ice can be found;thence to the Hot Springs and the Rocky Ridge, and through the RockyMountains and Echo Cañon, and thence on to the Great Salt Lake valley. 

We had started on our trip with everything in good shape, followingthe above described trail. During the first week or two out, I becamewell acquainted with most of the train men, and with one inparticular, who became a life-long and intimate friend of mine. Hisreal name was James B. Hickok; he afterwards became famous as "WildBill, the Scout of the Plains"--though why he was so called I nevercould ascertain--and from this time forward I shall refer to him byhis popular nickname. He was ten years my senior--a tall, handsome, magnificently built and powerful young fellow, who could out-run, out-jump and out-fight any man in the train. He was generally admittedto be the best man physically, in the employ of Russell, Majors &Waddell; and of his bravery there was not a doubt. General Custer, inhis "Life on the Plains, " thus speaks of Wild Bill:

 * * * * *

"Among the white scouts were numbered some of the most noted of theirclass. The most prominent man among them was 'Wild Bill, ' whose highlyvaried career was made the subject of an illustrated sketch in one of thepopular monthly periodicals a few years ago. 'Wild Bill' was a strangecharacter, just the one which a novelist might gloat over. He was aplains-man in every sense of the word, yet unlike any other of his class. In person he was about six feet and one inch in height, straight as thestraightest of the warriors whose implacable foe he was. He had broadshoulders, well-formed chest and limbs, and a face strikingly handsome; asharp, clear blue eye, which stared you straight in the face when inconversation; a finely shaped nose, inclined to be aquiline; awell-turned mouth, with lips only partially concealed by a handsomemoustache. His hair and complexion were those of the perfect blonde. Theformer was worn in uncut ringlets, falling carelessly over his powerfullyformed shoulders. Add to this figure a costume blending the immaculateneatness of the dandy with the extravagant taste and style of thefrontiersman, and you have Wild Bill.... Whether on foot or on horseback, he was one of the most perfect types of physical manhood I ever saw. 

"Of his courage there could be no question; it had been brought to thetest on too many occasions to admit of a doubt. His skill in the use ofthe pistol and rifle was unerring; while his deportment was exactly theopposite of what might be expected from a man of his surroundings. It wasentirely free from all bluster or bravado. He seldom spoke himself unlessrequested to do so. His conversation, strange to say, never borderedeither on the vulgar or blasphemous. His influence among the frontiersmenwas unbounded, his word was law; and many are the personal quarrels anddisturbances which he has checked among his comrades by his simpleannouncement that 'This has gone far enough, '--if need be followed by theominous warning that when persisted in or renewed the quarreler 'mustsettle it with me. '

"Wild Bill was anything but a quarrelsome man; yet no one but him couldenumerate the many conflicts in which he had been engaged, and which hadalmost always resulted in the death of his adversary. I have a personalknowledge of at least half a dozen men whom he had at various timeskilled, one of these being at the time a member of my command. Others hadbeen severely wounded, yet he always escaped unhurt. 

"On the plains every man openly carries his belt with its invariableappendages, knife and revolver--often two of the latter. Wild Bill alwayscarried two handsome ivory-handled revolvers of the large size; he wasnever seen without them.... Yet in all the many affairs of this kind inwhich Wild Bill has performed a part, and which have come to myknowledge, there was not a single instance in which the verdict of twelvefair-minded men would not have been pronounced in his favor. "

 * * * * *

[Illustration: WILD BILL. ]

Such is the faithful picture of Wild Bill as drawn by General Custer, whowas a close observer and student of personal character, and under whomWild Bill served as a scout. 

The circumstances under which I first made his acquaintance and learnedto know him well and to appreciate his manly character andkind-heartedness, were these. One of the teamsters in Lew. Simpson'strain was a surly, overbearing fellow, and took particular delight inbullying and tyrannizing over me, and one day while we were at dinner heasked me to do something for him. I did not start at once, and he gave mea slap in the face with the back of his hand, --knocking me off anox-yoke on which I was sitting, and sending me sprawling on the ground. Jumping to my feet I picked up a camp kettle full of boiling coffee whichwas setting on the fire, and threw it at him. I hit him in the face, andthe hot coffee gave him a severe scalding. He sprang for me with theferocity of a tiger, and would undoubtedly have torn me to pieces, had itnot been for the timely interference of my new-found friend, Wild Bill, who knocked the man down. As soon as he recovered himself, he demanded ofWild Bill what business it was of his that he should "put in his oar. ""It's my business to protect that boy, or anybody else, from beingunmercifully abused, kicked and cuffed, and I'll whip any man who triesit on, " said Wild Bill; "and if you ever again lay a hand on thatboy--little Billy there--I'll give you such a pounding that you won't getover it for a month of Sundays. " From that time forward Wild Bill was myprotector and intimate friend, and the friendship thus begun continueduntil his death. 

Nothing transpired on the trip to delay or give us any trouble whatever, until the train struck the South Platte river. One day we camped on thesame ground where the Indians had surprised the cattle herd, in charge ofthe McCarty brothers. It was with difficulty that we discovered anytraces of anybody ever having camped there before, the only landmarkbeing the single grave, now covered with grass, in which we had buriedthe three men who had been killed. The country was alive with buffaloes. Vast herds of these monarchs of the plains were roaming all around us, and we laid over one day for a grand hunt. Besides killing quite anumber of buffaloes, and having a day of rare sport, we captured ten ortwelve head of cattle, they being a portion of the herd which had beenstampeded by the Indians, two months before. The next day we pulled outof camp, and the train was strung out to a considerable length along theroad which ran near the foot of the sand-hills, two miles from the river. Between the road and the river we saw a large herd of buffaloes grazingquietly, they having been down to the stream for a drink. 

Just at this time we observed a party of returning Californians comingfrom the West. They, too, noticed the buffalo herd, and in another momentthey were dashing down upon them, urging their steeds to the greatestspeed. The buffalo herd stampeded at once, and broke for the hills; sohotly were they pursued by the hunters that about five hundred of themrushed through our train pell-mell, frightening both men and oxen. Someof the wagons were turned clear round, and many of the terrified oxenattempted to run to the hills, with the heavy wagons attached to them. Others turned around so short that they broke the wagon tongues off. Nearly all the teams got entangled in their gearing, and became wild andunruly, so that the perplexed drivers were unable to manage them. 

The buffaloes, the cattle, and the drivers, were soon running in everydirection, and the excitement upset nearly everybody and everything. Manyof the cattle broke their yokes and stampeded. One big buffalo bullbecame entangled in one of the heavy wagon-chains, and it is a fact thatin his desperate efforts to free himself, he not only actually snappedthe strong chain in two, but broke the ox-yoke to which it was attached, and the last seen of him he was running towards the hills with it hangingfrom his horns. A dozen other equally remarkable incidents happenedduring the short time that the frantic buffaloes were playing havoc withour train, and when they had got through and left us, our outfit was verybadly crippled and scattered. This caused us to go into camp and spend aday in replacing the broken tongues, and repairing other damages, andgathering up our scattered ox-teams. 

The next day we rolled out of camp, and proceeded on our way towards thesetting sun. Everything ran along smoothly with us from that point untilwe came within about eighteen miles of Green river, in the Rockymountains--where we camped at noon. At this place we had to drive ourcattle about a mile and a half to a creek to water them. Simpson, hisassistant, George Woods and myself, accompanied by the usual number ofguards, drove the cattle over to the creek, and while on our way back tocamp, we suddenly observed a party of twenty horsemen rapidly approachingus. We were not yet in view of our wagons, as a rise of groundintervened, and therefore we could not signal the train-men in case ofany unexpected danger befalling us. We had no suspicion, however, that wewere about to be trapped, as the strangers were white men. When they hadcome up to us, one of the party, who evidently was the leader, rode outin front and said:

"How are you, Mr. Simpson?"

"You've got the best of me, sir, " said Simpson, who did not know him. 

"Well, I rather think I have, " coolly replied the stranger, whose wordsconveyed a double meaning, as we soon learned. We had all come to a haltby this time, and the strange horsemen had surrounded us. They were allarmed with double-barreled shot guns, rifles and revolvers. We also werearmed with revolvers, but we had had no idea of danger, and these men, much to our surprise, had "got the drop" on us, and had covered us withtheir weapons, so that we were completely at their mercy. The wholemovement of corraling us was done so quietly and quickly that it wasaccomplished before we knew it. 

"I'll trouble you for your six shooters, gentlemen, " now said theleader. 

"I'll give 'em to you in a way you don't want, " replied Simpson. 

The next moment three guns were leveled at Simpson. "If you make a moveyou're a dead man, " said the leader. 

Simpson saw that he was taken at a great disadvantage, and thinking itadvisable not to risk the lives of the party by any rash act on hispart, he said: "I see now that you have the best of me, but who areyou, anyhow?"

"I am Joe Smith, " was the reply. 

"What! the leader of the Danites?" asked Simpson. 

"You are correct, " said Smith, for he it was. 

"Yes, " said Simpson, "I know you now; you are a spying scoundrel. "

Simpson had good reason for calling him this and applying to him a muchmore opprobrious epithet, for only a short time before this, Joe Smithhad visited our train in the disguise of a teamster, and had remainedwith us two days. He suddenly disappeared, no one knowing where he hadgone or why he had come among us. But it was all explained to us now thathe had returned with his Mormon Danites. After they had disarmed us, Simpson asked, "Well, Smith, what are you going to do with us?"

"Ride back with us and I'll soon show you, " said Smith. 

We had no idea of the surprise which awaited us. As we came upon the topof the ridge, from which we could view our camp, we were astonished tosee the remainder of the train men disarmed and stationed in a group andsurrounded by another squad of Danites, while other Mormons weresearching our wagons for such articles as they wanted. 

"How is this?" inquired Simpson. "How did you surprise my camp without astruggle? I can't understand it. "

"Easily enough, " said Smith; "your men were all asleep under thewagons, except the cooks, who saw us coming and took us for returningCalifornians or emigrants, and paid no attention to us until we rode upand surrounded your train. With our arms covering the men, we wokethem up, and told them that all they had to do was to walk out and droptheir pistols--which they saw was the best thing they could do undercircumstances over which they had no control--and you can just betthey did it. "

"And what do you propose to do with us now?" asked Simpson. 

"I intend to burn your train, " said he; "you are loaded with suppliesand ammunition for Sidney Johnson, and as I have no way to convey thestuff to my own people, I'll see that it does not reach the UnitedStates troops. "

"Are you going to turn us adrift here?" asked Simpson, who was anxious tolearn what was to become of himself and his men. 

"No; I hardly am as bad as that. I'll give you enough provisions to lastyou until you can reach Fort Bridger, " replied Smith; "and as soon asyour cooks can get the stuff out of the wagons, you can start. "

"On foot?" was the laconic inquiry of Simpson. 

"Yes sir, " was the equally short reply. 

"Smith, that's too rough on us men. Put yourself in our place and see howyou would like it, " said Simpson; "you can well afford to give us atleast one wagon and six yokes of oxen to convey us and our clothing andprovisions to Fort Bridger. You're a brute if you don't do this. "

"Well, " said Smith, after consulting a minute or two with some of hiscompany, "I'll do that much for you. "

The cattle and the wagon were brought up according to his orders, and theclothing and provisions were loaded on. 

"Now you can go, " said Smith, after everything had been arranged. 

"Joe Smith, I think you are a mean coward to set us afloat in a hostilecountry, without giving us our arms, " said Simpson, who had once beforeasked for the weapons, and had had his request denied. 

Smith, after further consultation with his comrades, said: "Simpson, you are too brave a man to be turned adrift here without any means ofdefense. You shall have your revolvers and guns. " Our weapons wereaccordingly handed over to Simpson, and we at once started for FortBridger, knowing that it would be useless to attempt the recapture ofour train. 

When we had traveled about two miles we saw the smoke arising from ourold camp. The Mormons after taking what goods they wanted and could carryoff, had set fire to the wagons, many of which were loaded with bacon, lard, hard-tack, and other provisions, which made a very hot, fiercefire, and the smoke to roll up in dense clouds. Some of the wagons wereloaded with ammunition, and it was not long before loud explosionsfollowed in rapid succession. We waited and witnessed the burning of thetrain, and then pushed on to Fort Bridger. Arriving at this post, welearned that two other trains had been captured and destroyed in the sameway, by the Mormons. This made seventy-five wagon loads, or 450, 000pounds of supplies, mostly provisions, which never reached GeneralJohnson's command, to which they had been consigned. 

CHAPTER VI. 

HARD TIMES. 

As it was getting very late in the fall, we were compelled to winter atFort Bridger; and a long, tedious winter it was. There were a great manytroops there, and about four hundred of Russell, Majors & Waddell'semployees. These men were all organized into militia companies, whichwere officered by the wagon-masters. Some lived in tents, others incabins. It was known that our supplies would run short during the winter, and so all the men at the post were put on three-quarter rations to beginwith; before long they were reduced to one-half rations, and finally toone-quarter rations. We were forced to kill our poor worn-out cattle forbeef. They were actually so poor that we had to prop them up to shootthem down. At last we fell back on the mules, which were killed andserved up in good style. Many a poor, unsuspecting government mule passedin his chips that winter in order to keep the soldiers and bull-whackersfrom starvation. 

It was really a serious state of affairs. The wood for the post wasobtained from the mountains, but having no longer any cattle or mules totransport it, the men were obliged to haul it themselves. Long lariatswere tied to the wagons, and twenty men manning each, they were pulled toand from the mountains. Notwithstanding all these hardships, the menseemed to be contented and to enjoy themselves. 

The winter finally passed away, and early in the spring, as soon as wecould travel, the civil employees of the government, with the teamstersand freighters, started for the Missouri river; the Johnson expeditionhaving been abandoned. On the way down we stopped at Fort Laramie, andthere met a supply train bound westward. Of course we all had a squaremeal once more, consisting of hard tack, bacon, coffee and beans. I canhonestly say that I thought it was the best meal I had ever eaten; atleast I relished it more than any other, and I think the rest of theparty did the same. 

On leaving Fort Laramie, Simpson was made brigade wagon-master, and wasput in charge of two large trains, with about four hundred extra men, whowere bound for Fort Leavenworth. When we came to Ash Hollow, instead oftaking the usual trail over to the South Platte, Simpson concluded tofollow the North Platte down to its junction with the South Platte. Thetwo trains were traveling about fifteen miles apart, when one morningwhile Simpson was with the rear train, he told his assistantwagon-master, George Woods and myself to saddle up our mules, as hewanted us to go with him and overtake the head train. 

We started off at about eleven o'clock, and had ridden about seven mileswhen--while we were on a big plateau, back of Cedar Bluffs--we suddenlydiscovered a band of Indians coming out of the head of a ravine, half amile distant, and charging down upon us at full speed. I thought that ourend had come this time, sure. Simpson, however, took in the situation ina moment, and knowing that it would be impossible to escape by runningour played-out mules, he adopted a bolder and much better plan. He jumpedfrom his own mule, and told us to dismount also. He then shot the threeanimals, and as they fell to the ground he cut their throats to stoptheir kicking. He then jerked them into the shape of a triangle, andordered us inside of the barricade. 

All this was but the work of a few moments, yet it was not done any toosoon, for the Indians had got within three hundred yards of us, and werestill advancing, and uttering their demoniacal yells or war-whoops. Therewere forty of the red-skins and only three of us. We were each armedwith a Mississippi yager and two Colt's revolvers. 

"Get ready for them with your guns, and when they come within fiftyyards, aim low, blaze away and bring down your man!"

Such was the quick command of Simpson. The words had hardly escaped fromhis mouth, when the three yagers almost simultaneously belched forththeir contents. We then seized our revolvers and opened a lively fire onthe enemy, at short range, which checked their advance. Then we lookedover our little barricade to ascertain what effect our fire had produced, and were much gratified at seeing three dead Indians and one horse lyingon the ground. Only two or three of the Indians, it seemed, hadfire-arms. It must be remembered that in those days every Indian did notown a needle gun or a Winchester rifle, as they now do. Their principalweapons were their bows and arrows. 

Seeing that they could not take our little fortification, or drive usfrom it, they circled around us several times, shooting their arrows atus. One of the arrows struck George Wood in the left shoulder, inflictingonly a slight wound, however, and several lodged in the bodies of thedead mules; otherwise they did us no harm. 

The Indians finally galloped off to a safe distance, where our bulletscould not reach them, and seemed to be holding a council. This was alucky move for us, for it gave us an opportunity to reload our guns andpistols, and prepare for the next charge of the enemy. During the briefcessation of hostilities, Simpson extracted the arrow from Wood'sshoulder, and put an immense quid of tobacco on the wound. Wood was thenready for business again. 

[Illustration: HOLDING THE FORT. ]

The Indians did not give us a very long rest, for with, another desperatecharge, as if to ride over us, they came dashing towards the mulebarricade. We gave them a hot reception from our yagers and revolvers. They could not stand, or understand, the rapidly repeating fire of therevolvers, and we again checked them. They circled around us once moreand gave us a few parting shots as they rode off, leaving behind themanother dead Indian and a horse. 

For two hours afterwards they did not seem to be doing anything butholding a council. We made good use of this time by digging up the groundinside the barricade with our knives and throwing the loose earth aroundand over the mules, and we soon had a very respectable fortification. Wewere not troubled any more that day, but during the night the cunningrascals tried to burn us out by setting fire to the prairie. The buffalograss was so short that the fire did not trouble us much, but the smokeconcealed the Indians from our view, and they thought that they couldapproach close to us without being seen. We were aware of this, and kepta sharp look-out, being prepared all the time to receive them. Theyfinally abandoned the idea of surprising us. 

Next morning, bright and early, they gave us one more grand charge, andagain we "stood them off. " They then rode away half a mile or so, andformed a circle around us. Each man dismounted and sat down, as if towait and starve us out. They had evidently seen the advance train pass onthe morning of the previous day, and believed that we belonged to thatoutfit and were trying to overtake it; they had no idea that anothertrain was on its way after us. 

Our hopes of escape from this unpleasant and perilous situation nowdepended upon the arrival of the rear train, and when we saw that theIndians were going to besiege us instead of renewing their attacks, wefelt rather confident of receiving timely assistance. We had expectedthat the train would be along late in the afternoon of the previous day, and as the morning wore away we were somewhat anxious and uneasy, at itsnon-arrival. 

At last, about ten o'clock, we began to hear in the distance the loud andsharp reports of the big bull-whips, which were handled with greatdexterity by the teamsters, and cracked like rifle shots. These were aswelcome sounds to us as were the notes of the bag-pipes to the beseigedgarrison at Lucknow, when the reinforcements were coming up and thepipers were heard playing, "The Campbells are Coming. " In a few momentswe saw the lead or head wagon coming slowly over the ridge, which hadconcealed the train from our view, and soon the whole outfit made itsappearance. The Indians observed the approaching train, and assembling ina group they held a short consultation. They then charged upon us oncemore, for the last time, and as they turned and dashed away over theprairie, we sent our farewell shots rattling after them. The teamsters, seeing the Indians and hearing the shots, came rushing forward to ourassistance, but by the time they reached us the red-skins had almostdisappeared from view. The teamsters eagerly asked us a hundred questionsconcerning our fight, admired our fort and praised our pluck. Simpson'sremarkable presence of mind in planning the defense was the general topicof conversation among all the men. 

When the teams came up we obtained some water and bandages with which todress Wood's wound, which had become quite inflamed and painful, and wethen put him into one of the wagons. Simpson and myself obtained aremount, bade good-bye to our dead mules which had served us so well, andafter collecting the ornaments and other plunder from the dead Indians, we left their bodies and bones to bleach on the prairie. The train movedon again and we had no other adventures, except several exciting buffalohunts on the South Platte, near Plum Creek. 

We arrived at Fort Leavenworth about the middle of July, 1858, when Iimmediately visited home. I found mother in very poor health, as she wassuffering from asthma. My oldest sister, Martha, had, during my absence, been married to John Crane, and was living at Leavenworth. 

During the winter at Fort Bridger I had frequently talked with Wild Billabout my family, and as I had become greatly attached to him I asked himto come and make a visit at our house, which he promised to do. So oneday, shortly after our return from Fort Bridger, he accompanied me homefrom Leavenworth. My mother and sisters, who had heard so much about himfrom me, were delighted to see him and he spent several weeks at ourplace. They did everything possible to repay him for his kindness to me. Ever afterwards, when he was at or near Leavenworth, Wild Bill came outto our house to see the family, whether I was at home or not, and healways received a most cordial reception. His mother and sisters lived inIllinois, and he used to call our house his home, as he did not have oneof his own. 

I had been home only about a month, after returning from Fort Bridger, when I again started out with another train, going this time asassistant wagon-master under Buck Bomer. We went safely through to FortLaramie, which was our destination, and from there we were ordered totake a load of supplies to a new post called Fort Wallach, which wasbeing established at Cheyenne Pass. We made this trip and got back toFort Laramie about November 1st. I then quit the employ of Russell, Majors & Waddell, and joined a party of trappers who were sent out bythe post trader, Mr. Ward, to trap on the streams of the Chugwater andLaramie for beaver, otter, and other fur animals, and also to poisonwolves for their pelts. We were out two months, but as the expeditiondid not prove very profitable, and was rather dangerous on account ofthe Indians, we abandoned the enterprise and came into Fort Laramie inthe latter part of December. 

Being anxious to return to the Missouri river, I joined with two others, named Scott and Charley, who were also desirous of going East on a visit, bought three ponies and a pack-mule, and we started out together. We maderapid progress on our journey, and nothing worthy of note happened untilone afternoon, along the banks of the Little Blue River, we spied a bandof Indians hunting on the opposite side of the stream, three miles away. We did not escape their notice, and they gave us a lively chase for twohours, but they could find no good crossing, and as evening came on wefinally got away from them. 

We traveled until late in the night; when upon discovering a low, deepravine which we thought would make a comfortable and safe camping-place, we stopped for a rest. In searching for a good place to make our beds, Ifound a hole, and I called to my companions that I had found a fine placefor a nest. One of the party was to stand guard while the others slept. Scott took the first watch, while Charley and I made a bed in the hole. 

While clearing out the place we felt something rough, but as it was darkwe could not make out what it was. At any rate we concluded that it wasbones or sticks of wood; we thought perhaps it might be the bones of someanimal which had fallen in there and died. These bones, for such theyreally proved to be, we pushed one side and then we lay down. ButCharley, being an inveterate smoker, could not resist the temptation ofindulging in a smoke before going to sleep. So he sat up and struck amatch to light his old pipe. Our subterranean bed-chamber was thusilluminated for a moment or two; I sprang to my feet in an instant for aghastly and horrifying sight was revealed to us. Eight or ten humanskeletons lay scattered upon the ground. 

The light of the match died out, but we had seen enough to convince usthat we were in a large grave, into which, perhaps, some unfortunateemigrants, who had been killed by the Indians, had been thrown; or, perhaps, seeking refuge there, they had been corraled and then killed onthe spot. If such was the case, they had met the fate of thousands ofothers, whose friends have never heard of them since they left theireastern homes to seek their fortunes in the Far West. However, we did notcare to investigate this mystery any further, but we hustled out of thatchamber of death and informed Scott of our discovery. Most of theplains-men are very superstitious, and we were no exception to thegeneral rule. We surely thought that this incident was an evil omen, andthat we would be killed if we remained there any longer. 

[Illustration: CAMPING IN A SEPULCHRE. ]

"Let us dig out of here quicker than we can say Jack Robinson, " saidScott; and we began to "dig out" at once. We saddled our animals andhurriedly pushed forward through the darkness, traveling several milesbefore we again went into camp. Next morning it was snowing fiercely, but we proceeded as best we could, and that night we succeeded inreaching Oak Grove ranch, which had been built during the summer. Wehere obtained comfortable accommodations and plenty to eat anddrink--especially the latter. 

Scott and Charley were great lovers and consumers of "tanglefoot, " andthey soon got gloriously drunk, keeping it up for three days, duringwhich time they gambled with the ranchmen, who got away with all theirmoney; but little they cared for that, as they had their spree. Theyfinally sobered up, and we resumed our journey, urging our jaded animalsas much as they could stand, until we struck Marysville, on the Big Blue. From this place to Leavenworth we secured first-rate accommodations alongthe road, as the country had become pretty well settled. 

It was in February, 1859, that I got home. As there was now a good schoolin the neighborhood, taught by Mr. Divinny, my mother wished me to attendit, and I did so for two months and a half--the longest period ofschooling that I ever received at any one time in my life. As soon as thespring came and the grass began growing, I became uneasy anddiscontented, and again longed for the free and open life of the plains. 

The Pike's Peak gold excitement was then at its height, and everybody wasrushing to the new gold diggings. I caught the gold-fever myself, andjoined a party bound for the new town of Auraria, on Cherry Creek, afterwards called Denver, in honor of the then governor of Kansas. Onarriving at Auraria we pushed on to the gold streams in the mountains, passing up through Golden Gate, and over Guy Hill, and thence on toBlack Hawk. We prospected for two months, but as none of us knew anythingabout mining we met with very poor success, and we finally concluded thatprospecting for gold was not our forte. We accordingly abandoned theenterprise and turned our faces eastward once more. 

[Illustration: RAFTING ON THE PLATTE. ]

When we struck the Platte River, the happy thought of constructing asmall raft--which would float us clear to the Missouri and thence down toLeavenworth--entered our heads, and we accordingly carried out the plan. Upon the completion of the raft we stocked it with provisions, and "setsail" down the stream. It was a light craft and a jolly crew, and all wassmooth sailing for four or five days. 

When we got near old Julesburg, we met with a serious mishap. Our raftran into an eddy, and quick as lightning went to pieces, throwing us allinto the stream, which was so deep that we had to swim ashore. We losteverything we had, which greatly discouraged us, and we thereuponabandoned the idea of rafting it any farther. We then walked over toJulesburg, which was only a few miles distant. This ranch, which became asomewhat famous spot, had been established by "Old Jules, " a Frenchman, who was afterwards killed by the notorious Alf. Slade. 

The great pony express, about which so much has been said and written, was at that time just being started. The line was being stocked withhorses and put into good running condition. At Julesburg I met Mr. GeorgeChrisman, the leading wagon-master of Russell, Majors & Waddell, who hadalways been a good friend to me. He had bought out "Old Jules, " and wasthen the owner of Julesburg ranch, and the agent of the pony expressline. He hired me at once as a pony express rider, but as I was so younghe thought I would not be able to stand the fierce riding which wasrequired of the messengers. He knew, however, that I had been raised inthe saddle--that I felt more at home there than in any other place--andas he saw that I was confident that I could stand the racket, and couldride as far and endure it as well as some of the older riders, he gave mea short route of forty-five miles, with the stations fifteen miles apart, and three changes of horses. I was required to make fifteen miles anhour, including the changes of horses. I was fortunate in gettingwell-broken animals, and being so light, I easily made my forty-fivemiles on time on my first trip out, and ever afterwards. 

I wrote to mother and told her how well I liked the exciting life of apony express rider. She replied, and begged of me to give it up, as itwould surely kill me. She was right about this, as fifteen miles an houron horseback would, in a short time, shake any man "all to pieces"; andthere were but very few, if any, riders who could stand it for any greatlength of time. Nevertheless, I stuck to it for two months, and then, upon receiving a letter informing me that my mother was very sick, I gaveit up and went back to the old home in Salt Creek Valley. 

CHAPTER VII. 

ACCIDENTS AND ESCAPES. 

My restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain at home verylong, and in November, after the recovery of my mother, I went up theRepublican River and its tributaries on a trapping expedition in companywith Dave Harrington. Our outfit consisted of one wagon and a yoke ofoxen for the transportation of provisions, traps, and other necessaries. We began trapping near Junction City, Kansas, and then proceeded up theRepublican River to the mouth of Prairie Dog Creek, where we found plentyof beavers. 

Having seen no signs of Indians thus far, we felt comparatively safe. Wewere catching a large number of beavers and were prospering finely, whenone of our oxen, having become rather poor, slipped and fell upon theice, dislocating his hip, so that we had to shoot him to end his misery. This left us without a team; but we cared little for that, however, as wehad made up our minds to remain there till spring, when, and it wasdecided, that one of us should go to the nearest settlement and get ayoke of oxen with which to haul our wagon into some place of safety wherewe could leave it. 

We would probably have pulled through the winter all right had it notbeen for a very serious accident which befell me just at that time. Spying a herd of elk, we started in pursuit of them, and creeping uptowards them as slyly as possible, while going around the bend of a sharpbluff or bank of the creek I slipped and broke my leg just above theankle. Notwithstanding the great pain I was suffering, Harrington couldnot help laughing when I urged him to shoot me, as he had the ox, andthus end my misery. He told me to "brace up, " and that he would bring meout "all right. " "I am not much of a surgeon, " said he, "but I can fixthat leg of yours, even if I haven't got a diploma. "

He succeeded in getting me back to camp, which was only a few yards fromthe creek, and then he set the fracture as well as he knew how, and mademe as comfortable as was possible under the circumstances. We thendiscussed the situation, which to say the least, looked pretty blue. Knowing that, owing to our mishaps, we could not do anything more thatwinter, and as I dreaded the idea of lying there on my back with a brokenleg for weeks, and perhaps months, I prevailed upon Harrington to go thenearest settlement--about 125 miles distant--to obtain a yoke of cattle, and then come back for me. 

This he consented to do; but before leaving he gathered plenty of wood, and as the ground was covered with snow, I would have no difficulty ingetting water if I had a fire. There was plenty of fresh meat and otherprovisions in the "dug-out, " so that I had no fears of starvation. The"dugout, " which we had built immediately after we had determined toremain there all winter, was a very cosy hole in the ground, covered withpoles, grass and sod, with a fireplace in one end. 

Harrington thought it would take him twenty days or more to make theround trip; but being well provided for--for this length of time--Iurged him to go at once. Bidding me good-bye he started on foot. Afterhis departure, each day, as it came and went, seemed to grow longer to meas I lay there helpless and alone. I made a note of each day, so as toknow the time when I might expect him back. 

[Illustration: SAVED BY CHIEF RAIN-IN-THE-FACE. ]

On the twelfth day after Harrington left me, I was awakened from a soundsleep by some one touching me upon the shoulder. I looked up and wasastonished to see an Indian warrior standing at my side. His face washideously daubed with paint, which told me more forcibly than words couldhave done that he was on the war-path. He spoke to me in broken Englishand Sioux mixed, and I understood him to ask what I was doing there, andhow many there were with me. 

By this time the little dug-out was nearly filled with other Indians, whohad been peeping in at the door, and I could hear voices of still moreoutside as well as the stamping of horses. I began to think that my timehad come, as the saying is, when into the cabin stepped an elderlyIndian, whom I readily recognized as old Rain-in-the-Face, a Sioux chieffrom the vicinity of Fort Laramie. I rose up as well as I could andshowed him my broken leg. I told him where I had seen him, and asked himif he remembered me. He replied that he knew me well, and that I used tocome to his lodge at Fort Laramie to visit him. I then managed to makehim understand that I was there alone and having broken my leg, I hadsent my partner off for a team to take me away. I asked him if his youngmen intended to kill me, and he answered, that was what they had proposedto do, but he would see what they had to say. 

The Indians then talked among themselves for a few minutes, and upon theconclusion of the consultation, old Rain-in-the-Face turned to me andgave me to understand that as I was yet a "papoose, " or a very young man, they would not take my life. But one of his men, who had no fire-arms, wanted my gun and pistol. I implored old Rain-in-the-Face to be allowedto keep the weapons, or at least one of them, as I needed something withwhich to keep the wolves away. He replied that as his young men were outon the war path, he had induced them to spare my life; but he could notprevent them from taking what ever else they wanted. 

They unsaddled their horses as if to remain there for some time, and sureenough they stayed the remainder of the day and all night. They built afire in the dug-out and cooked a lot of my provisions, helping themselvesto everything as if they owned it. However, they were polite enough togive me some of the food after they had cooked it. It was a sumptuousfeast that they had, and they seemed to relish it as if it was the bestlay-out they had had for many a long day. They took all my sugar andcoffee, and left me only some meat and a small quantity of flour, alittle salt and some baking powder. They also robbed me of such cookingutensils as they wished; then bidding me good-bye, early in the morning, they mounted their ponies and rode off to the south, evidently bent onsome murdering and thieving expedition. 

I was glad enough to see them leave, as my life had undoubtedly hung by athread during their presence. I am confident that had it not been for myyouth and the timely recognition and interference of old Rain-in-the-Facethey would have killed me without any hesitation or ceremony. 

The second day after they had gone it began snowing, and for three longand weary days the snow continued to fall thick and fast. It blocked thedoor-way and covered the dug-out to the depth of several feet, so that Ibecame a snowbound prisoner. My wood was mostly under the snow, and itwas with great difficulty that I could get enough to start a fire with. My prospects were gloomy indeed. I had just faced death at the hands ofthe Indians, and now I was in danger of losing my life from starvationand cold. I knew that the heavy snow would surely delay Harrington on hisreturn; and I feared that he might have perished in the storm, or thatsome other accident might have befallen him. Perhaps some wandering bandof Indians had run across him and killed him. 

I was continually thinking of all these possibilities, and I must saythat my outlook seemed desperate. At last the twentieth dayarrived--the day on which Harrington was to return--and I counted thehours from morning till night, but the day passed away with no signs ofHarrington. The wolves made the night hideous with their howls; theygathered around the dug-out; ran over the roof; and pawed and scratchedas if trying to get in. 

Several days and nights thus wore away, the monotony all the timebecoming greater, until at last it became almost unendurable. Some days Iwould go without any fire at all, and eat raw frozen meat and melt snowin my mouth for water. I became almost convinced that Harrington had beencaught in the storm and had been buried under the snow, or was lost. Manya time during that dreary period of uncertainty, I made up my mind thatif I ever got out of that place alive, I would abandon the plains and thelife of a trapper forever. I had nearly given up all hopes of leaving thedug-out alive. 

It was on the twenty-ninth day, while I was lying thus despondentlythinking and wondering, that I heard the cheerful sound of Harrington'svoice as he came slowly up the creek, yelling, "whoa! haw!" to hiscattle. A criminal on the scaffold, with the noose around his neck, thetrap about to be sprung, and receiving a pardon just at the last moment, thus giving him a new lease of life, could not have been more gratefulthan I was at that time. It was useless for me to try to force the dooropen, as the snow had completely blockaded it, and I therefore anxiouslyawaited Harrington's arrival. 

"Hello! Billy!" he sang out in a loud voice as he came up, he evidentlybeing uncertain as to my being alive. 

"All right, Dave, " was my reply. 

"Well, old boy, you're alive, are you?" said he. 

"Yes; and that's about all. I've had a tough siege of it since you'vebeen away, and I came pretty nearly passing in my chips. I began tothink you never would get here, as I was afraid you had been snowedunder, " said I. 

He soon cleared away the snow from the entrance, and opening the door hecame in. I don't think there ever was a more welcome visitor than he was. I remember that I was so glad to see him that I put my arms around hisneck and hugged him for five minutes; never shall I forget faithful DaveHarrington. 

"Well, Billy, my boy, I hardly expected to see you alive again, " saidHarrington, as soon as I had given him an opportunity to draw his breath;"I had a terrible trip of it, and I didn't think I ever would getthrough. I was caught in the snow-storm, and was laid up for three days. The cattle wandered away, and I came within an ace of losing themaltogether. When I got started again the snow was so deep that itprevented me from making much headway. But as I had left you here I wasbound to come through, or die in the attempt. "

Again I flung my arms around Dave's neck and gave him a hug that wouldhave done honor to a grizzly bear. My gratitude was thus much moreforcibly expressed than it could have been by words. Harringtonunderstood this, and seemed to appreciate it. The tears of joy rolleddown my cheeks, and it was impossible for me to restrain them. When mylife had been threatened by the Indians I had not felt half so miserableas when I lay in the dug-out thinking I was destined to die a slow deathby starvation and cold. The Indians would have made short work of it, andwould have given me little or no time to think of my fate. 

I questioned Harrington as to his trip, and learned all the details. Hehad passed through hardships which but few men could have endured. Noblefellow, that he was. He had risked his own life to save mine. 

After he had finished his story, every word of which I had listened towith eager interest, I related to him my own experiences, in which hebecame no less interested. He expressed great astonishment that theIndians had not killed me, and he considered it one of the luckiest andmost remarkable escapes he had ever heard of. It amused me, however, tosee him get very angry when I told him that they had taken my gun andpistol and had used up our provisions. "But never mind, Billy, " said he, "we can stand it till the snow goes off, which will not be long, and thenwe will pull our wagon back to the settlements. "

A few days afterwards Harrington gathered up our traps, and cleaned thesnow out of the wagon. Covering it with the sheet which we had used inthe dug-out, he made a comfortable bed inside, and helped me into it. Wehad been quite successful in trapping, having caught three hundredbeavers and one hundred otters, the skins of which Harrington loaded onthe wagon. We then pulled out for the settlements, making good headway, as the snow had nearly disappeared, having been blown or melted away, sothat we had no difficulty in finding a road. On the eighth day out wecame to a farmer's house, or ranch, on the Republican River, where westopped and rested for two days, and then went on to the ranch whereHarrington had obtained the yoke of cattle. We gave the owner of the teamtwenty-five beaver skins, equal to $60, for the use of the cattle, and helet us have them until we reached Junction City, sending his boy with usto bring them back. 

At Junction City we sold our wagon and furs and went with a governmentmule train to Leavenworth--arriving there in March, 1860. I was just ableto get around on crutches when I got into Leavenworth, and it was severalmonths after that before I entirely recovered the use of my leg. 

During the winter I had often talked to Harrington about my mother andsisters, and had invited him to go home with me in the spring. I nowrenewed the invitation, which he accepted, and accompanied me home. WhenI related to mother my adventures and told her how Harrington had savedmy life, she thanked him again and again. I never saw a more gratefulwoman than she was. She asked him to always make his home with us, as shenever could reward him sufficiently for what he had done for her darlingboy, as she called me. Harrington concluded to remain with us through thesummer and farm mother's land. But alas! the uncertainty of life. Thecoming of death when least expected was strikingly illustrated in hiscase. During the latter part of April he went to a nursery for sometrees, and while coming home late at night he caught a severe cold andwas taken seriously sick, with lung fever. Mother did everything in herpower for him. She could not have done more had he been her own son, butnotwithstanding her motherly care and attention, and the skill of aphysician from Leavenworth, he rapidly grew worse. It seemed hard, indeed, to think that a great strong man like Harrington, who had bravedthe storms, and endured the other hardships of the plains all winterlong, should, during the warm and beautiful days of spring, whensurrounded by friends and the comforts of a good home, be fatallystricken down. But such was his fate. He died one week from the day onwhich he was taken sick. We all mourned his loss as we would that of aloved son or brother, as he was one of the truest, bravest, and best offriends. Amid sorrow and tears we laid him away to rest in a picturesquespot on Pilot Knob. His death cast a gloom over our household, and it wasa long time before it was entirely dispelled. I felt very lonely withoutHarrington, and I soon wished for a change of scene again. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD. 

As the warm days of summer approached I longed for the cool air of themountains; and to the mountains I determined to go. After engaging a manto take care of the farm, I proceeded to Leavenworth and there met my oldwagon-master and friend, Lewis Simpson, who was fitting out a train atAtchison and loading it with supplies for the Overland Stage Company, ofwhich Mr. Russell, my old employer, was one of the proprietors. Simpsonwas going with this train to Fort Laramie and points further west. 

"Come along with me, Billy, " said he, "I'll give you a good lay-out. Iwant you with me. "

"I don't know that I would like to go as far west as that again, "replied I, "but I do want to ride the pony express once more; there'ssome life in that. "

"Yes, that's so; but it will soon shake the life out of you, " said he. "However, if that's what you've got your mind set on, you had better cometo Atchison with me and see Mr. Russell, who I'm pretty certain, willgive you a situation. "

I replied that I would do that. I then went home and informed mother ofmy intention, and as her health was very poor I had great difficulty inobtaining her consent. I finally convinced her that as I was of no use onthe farm, it would be better and more profitable for me to return to theplains. So after giving her all the money I had earned by trapping, Ibade her good-bye and set out for Atchison. 

I met Mr. Russell there and asked him for employment as a ponyexpress-rider; he gave me a letter to Mr. Slade, who was then the stageagent for the division extending from Julesburg to Rocky Ridge. Sladehad his headquarters at Horseshoe Station, thirty-six miles west ofFort Laramie and I made the trip thither in company with Simpson andhis train. 

Almost the very first person I saw after dismounting from my horse wasSlade. I walked up to him and presented Mr. Russell's letter, which hehastily opened and read. With a sweeping glance of his eye he took mymeasure from head to foot, and then said:

"My boy, you are too young for a pony express-rider. It takes men forthat business. "

"I rode two months last year on Bill Trotter's division, sir, and filledthe bill then; and I think I am better able to ride now, " said I. 

"What! are you the boy that was riding there, and was called the youngestrider on the road?"

"I am the same boy, " I replied, confident that everything was now allright for me. 

"I have heard of you before. You are a year or so older now, and I thinkyou can stand it. I'll give you a trial anyhow and if you weaken you cancome back to Horseshoe Station and tend stock. "

That ended our first interview. The next day he assigned me to duty onthe road from Red Buttes on the North Platte, to the Three Crossings ofthe Sweetwater--a distance of seventy-six miles--and I began riding atonce. It was a long piece of road, but I was equal to the undertaking;and soon afterwards had an opportunity to exhibit my power of enduranceas a pony express rider. 

One day when I galloped into Three Crossings, my home station, I foundthat the rider who was expected to take the trip out on my arrival, hadgot into a drunken row the night before and had been killed; and thatthere was no one to fill his place. I did not hesitate for a moment toundertake an extra ride of eighty-five miles to Rocky Ridge, and Iarrived at the latter place on time. I then turned back and rode to RedButtes, my starting place, accomplishing on the round trip a distance of322 miles. 

[Illustration: I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED HORSES]

Slade heard of this feat of mine, and one day as he was passing on acoach he sang out to me, "My boy, you're a brick, and no mistake. Thatwas a good run you made when you rode your own and Miller's routes, andI'll see that you get extra pay for it. "

Slade, although rough at times and always a dangerous character--havingkilled many a man--was always kind to me. During the two years that Iworked for him as pony express-rider and stage-driver, he never spoke anangry word to me. 

As I was leaving Horse Creek one day, a party of fifteen Indians "jumpedme" in a sand ravine about a mile west of the station. They fired at merepeatedly, but missed their mark. I was mounted on a roan Californiahorse--the fleetest steed I had. Putting spurs and whip to him, and lyingflat on his back, I kept straight on for Sweetwater Bridge--eleven milesdistant--instead of trying to turn back to Horse Creek. The Indians cameon in hot pursuit, but my horse soon got away from them, and ran into thestation two miles ahead of them. The stock-tender had been killed therethat morning, and all the stock had been driven off by the Indians, andas I was therefore unable to change horses, I continued on to Ploutz'sStation--twelve miles further--thus making twenty-four miles straight runwith one horse. I told the people at Ploutz's what had happened atSweetwater Bridge, and with a fresh horse went on and finished the tripwithout any further adventure. 

[Illustration: ATTACK ON STAGE COACH. ]

About the middle of September the Indians became very troublesome on theline of the stage road along the Sweetwater. Between Split Rock and ThreeCrossings they robbed a stage, killed the driver and two passengers, andbadly wounded Lieut. Flowers, the assistant division agent. Thered-skinned thieves also drove off the stock from the different stations, and were continually lying in wait for the passing stages and ponyexpress-riders, so that we had to take many desperate chances in runningthe gauntlet. 

The Indians had now become so bad and had stolen so much stock that itwas decided to stop the pony express for at least six weeks, and to runthe stages but occasionally during that period; in fact, it would havebeen almost impossible to have run the enterprise much longer withoutrestocking the line. 

While we were thus nearly all lying idle, a party was organized to goout and search for stolen stock. This party was composed ofstage-drivers, express-riders, stock-tenders, and ranchmen--forty of themaltogether--and they were well-armed and well-mounted. They were mostlymen who had undergone all kinds of hardships and braved every danger, andthey were ready and anxious to "tackle" any number of Indians. Wild Bill(who had been driving stage on the road and had recently come down to ourdivision) was elected captain of the company. 

It was supposed that the stolen stock had been taken to the head ofPowder River and vicinity, and the party, of which I was a member, started out for that section in high hopes of success. 

Twenty miles out from Sweetwater Bridge, at the head of Horse Creek, wefound an Indian trail running north towards Powder River, and we couldsee by the tracks that most of the horses had been recently shod and wereundoubtedly our stolen stage stock. Pushing rapidly forward, we followedthis trail to Powder River; thence down this stream to within about fortymiles of the spot where old Fort Reno now stands. Here the trail took amore westerly course along the foot of the mountains, leading eventuallyto Crazy Woman's Fork--a tributary of Powder River. At this point wediscovered that the party whom we were trailing had been joined byanother band of Indians, and, judging from the fresh appearance of thetrail, the united body could not have left this spot more thantwenty-four hours before. 

Being aware that we were now in the heart of the hostile country and thatwe might at any moment find more Indians than we had "lost, " we advancedwith more caution than usual, and kept a sharp lookout. As we wereapproaching Clear Creek, another tributary of Powder river, we discoveredIndians on the opposite side of the creek, some three miles distant; atleast we saw horses grazing, which was a sure sign that there wereIndians there. 

The Indians thinking themselves in comparative safety--never beforehaving been followed so far into their own country by white men--hadneglected to put out any scouts. They had no idea that there were anywhite men in that part of the country. We got the lay of their camp, andthen held a council to consider and mature a plan for capturing it. Weknew full well that the Indians would outnumber us at least three to one, and perhaps more. Upon the advice and suggestion of Wild Bill, it wasfinally decided that we should wait until it was nearly dark, and then, after creeping as close to them as possible, make a dash through theircamp, open a general fire on them, and stampede the horses. 

This plan, at the proper time, was most successfully executed. The dashupon the enemy was a complete surprise to them. They were so overcomewith astonishment that they did not know what to make of it. We could nothave astonished them any more if we had dropped down into their camp fromthe clouds. They did not recover from the surprise of this sudden chargeuntil after we had ridden pell-mell through their camp and got away withour own horses as well as theirs. We at once circled the horses aroundtowards the south, and after getting them on the south side of ClearCreek, some twenty of our men--just as the darkness was coming on--rodeback and gave the Indians a few parting shots. We then took up our lineof march for Sweetwater Bridge, where we arrived four days afterwardswith all of our own horses and about one hundred captured Indian ponies. 

The expedition had proved a grand success, and the event was celebratedin the usual manner--by a grand spree. The only store at SweetwaterBridge did a rushing business for several days. The returnedstock-hunters drank, and gambled and fought. The Indian ponies, which hadbeen distributed among the captors, passed from hand to hand at almostevery deal of the cards. There seemed to be no limit to the rioting, andcarousing; revelry reigned supreme. On the third day of the orgie, Slade, who had heard the news, came up to the bridge and took a hand in the"fun, " as it was called. To add some variation and excitement to theoccasion, Slade got in to a quarrel with a stage-driver and shot him, killing him almost instantly. 

[Illustration: ALF. SLADE KILLING THE DRIVER. ]

The "boys" became so elated as well as "elevated" over their successagainst the Indians, that most of them were in favor of going back andcleaning out the whole Indian race. One old driver especially, Dan Smith, was eager to open a war on all the hostile nations, and had the drinkingbeen continued another week he certainly would have undertaken the job, single-handed and alone. The spree finally came to an end; the mensobered down and abandoned the idea of again invading the hostilecountry. The recovered horses were replaced on the road, and the stagesand pony express were again running on time. 

Slade, having taken a great fancy to me, said: "Billy, I want you to comedown to my headquarters, and I'll make you a sort of supernumerary rider, and send you out only when it is necessary. " I accepted the offer, andwent with him down to Horseshoe, where I had a comparatively easy time ofit. I had always been fond of hunting, and I now had a good opportunityto gratify my ambition in that direction, as I had plenty of spare timeon my hands. In this connection I will relate one of my bear-huntingadventures. One day, when I had nothing else to do, I saddled up an extrapony express horse, and arming myself with a good rifle and pair ofrevolvers, struck out for the foot hills of Laramie Peak for a bear-hunt. Riding carelessly along, and breathing the cool and bracing autumn airwhich came down from the mountains, I felt as only a man can feel who isroaming over the prairies of the far West, well armed, and mounted on afleet and gallant steed. The perfect freedom which he enjoys is in itselfa refreshing stimulant to the mind as well as to the body. Such indeedwere my feelings on this beautiful day, as I rode up the valley of theHorseshoe. Occasionally I scared up a flock of sage-hens or ajack-rabbit. Antelopes and deer were almost always in sight in anydirection, but as they were not the kind of game I was after, on thatday, I passed them by, and kept on towards the higher mountains. Thefurther I rode the rougher and wilder became the country, and I knew thatI was approaching the haunts of the bear. I did not discover any, however, although I saw plenty of tracks in the snow. 

About two o'clock in the afternoon, my horse having become tired, andmyself being rather weary, I shot a sage-hen, and dismounting, Iunsaddled my horse and tied him to a small tree, where he could easilyfeed on the mountain grass. I then built a little fire, and broiling thechicken and seasoning it with salt and pepper, which I had obtained frommy saddle-bags, I soon sat down to a "genuine square meal, " which Igreatly relished. 

After resting for a couple of hours, I remounted and resumed my upwardtrip to the mountains, having made up my mind to camp out that nightrather than go back without a bear, which my friends knew I had gone outfor. As the days were growing short, night soon came on, and I lookedaround for a suitable camping place. While thus engaged, I scared up aflock of sage-hens, two of which I shot, intending to have one for supperand the other for breakfast. 

By this time it was becoming quite dark, and I rode down to one of thelittle mountain streams, where I found an open place in the timbersuitable for a camp. I dismounted, and after unsaddling my horse andhitching him to a tree, I prepared to start a fire. Just then I wasstartled by hearing a horse whinnying further up the stream. It wasquite a surprise to me, and I immediately ran to my animal to keep himfrom answering, as horses usually do in such cases. I thought that thestrange horse might belong to some roaming band of Indians, as I knew ofno white men being in that portion of the country at that time. I wascertain that the owner of the strange horse could not be far distant, and I was very anxious to find out who my neighbor was, before lettinghim know that I was in his vicinity. I therefore re-saddled my horse, and leaving him tied so that I could easily reach him I took my gun andstarted out on a scouting expedition up the stream. I had gone aboutfour hundred yards when, in a bend of the stream, I discovered ten orfifteen horses grazing. 

On the opposite side of the creek a light was shining high up themountain bank. Approaching the mysterious spot as cautiously as possible, and when within a few yards of the light--which I discovered came from adug-out in the mountain side--I heard voices, and soon I was abledistinguish the words, as they proved to be in my own language. Then Iknew that the occupants of the dug-out, whence the voices proceeded, werewhite men. Thinking that they might be a party of trappers, I boldlywalked up to the door and knocked for admission. The voices instantlyceased, and for a moment a deathlike silence reigned inside. Then thereseemed to follow a kind of hurried whispering--a sort ofconsultation--and then some one called out: "Who's there?"

"A friend and a white man, " I replied. 

The door opened, and a big, ugly-looking fellow stepped, forth and said:

"Come in. "

I accepted the invitation with some degree of fear and hesitation, whichI endeavored to conceal, as I saw that it was too late to back out, andthat it would never do to weaken at that point, whether they were friendsor foes. Upon entering the dug-out my eyes fell upon eight as rough andvillainous looking men as I ever saw in my life. Two of them I instantlyrecognized as teamsters who had been driving in Lew Simpson's train, afew months before, and had been discharged. 

They were charged with the murdering and robbing of a ranchman; andhaving stolen his horses it was supposed that they had left the country. I gave them no signs of recognition however, deeming it advisable to letthem remain in ignorance as to who I was. It was a hard crowd, and Iconcluded that the sooner I could get away from them the better it wouldbe for me. I felt confident that they were a band of horse-thieves. 

"Where are you going, young man; and who's with you?" asked one of themen who appeared to be the leader of the gang. 

"I am entirely alone. I left Horseshoe station this morning for a bearhunt, and not finding any bears, I had determined to camp out for thenight and wait till morning, " said I; "and just as I was going into camp, a few hundred yards down the creek, I heard one of your horses whinnying, and then I came up to your camp. "

[Illustration: THE HORSE THIEVES' DEN. ]

I was thus explicit in my statement in order, if possible to satisfy thecut-throats that I was not spying upon them, but that my intrusion wasentirely accidental. 

"Where's your horse?" demanded the boss thief. 

"I left him down the creek, " I answered. 

They proposed going after the horse, but I thought that that would neverdo, as it would leave me without any means of escape, and I accordinglysaid, in hopes to throw them off the track, "Captain, I'll leave my gunhere and go down and get my horse, and come back and stay all night. "

I said this in as cheerful and as careless a manner as possible, so asnot to arouse their suspicions in any way, or lead them to think that Iwas aware of their true character. I hated to part with my gun, but mysuggestion of leaving it was a part of the plan of escape which I hadarranged. If they have the gun, thought I, they would surely believe thatI intended to come back. But this little game did not work at all, as oneof the desperadoes spoke up and said:

"Jim and I will go down with you after your horse, and you can leave yourgun here all the same, as you'll not need it. "

"All right, " I replied, for I could certainly have said nothing else. It became evident to me that it would be better to trust myself withtwo men than with the whole party. It was apparent that from this timeon, I would have to be on the alert for some good opportunity to givethem the slip. 

"Come along, " said one of them, and together we went down the creek, andsoon came to the spot where my horse was tied. One of the men unhitchedthe animal and said: "I'll lead the horse. "

"Very well, " said I, "I've got a couple of sage-hens here. Lead on. "

I picked up the sage-hens, which I had killed a few hours before, andfollowed the man who was leading the horse, while his companion broughtup the rear. The nearer we approached the dug-out the more I dreaded theidea of going back among the villainous cut-throats. 

My first plan of escape having failed, I now determined upon another. 

[Illustration: MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES. ]

I had both of my revolvers with me, the thieves not having thought itnecessary to search me. It was now quite dark, and I purposely droppedone of the sage-hens, and asked the man behind me to pick it up. While hewas hunting for it on the ground, I quickly pulled out one of my Colt'srevolvers and struck him a tremendous blow on the back of the head, knocking him senseless to the ground. I then instantly wheeled around, and saw that the man ahead who was only a few feet distant, had heard theblow and had turned to see what was the matter, his hand upon hisrevolver. We faced each other at about the same instant, but before hecould fire, as he tried to do, I shot him dead in his tracks. Thenjumping on my horse, I rode down the creek as fast as possible, throughthe darkness and over the rough ground and rocks. 

The other outlaws in the dug-out, having heard the shot which I hadfired, knew there was trouble, and they all came rushing down the creek. I suppose, by the time they reached the man whom I had knocked down, that he had recovered and hurriedly told them of what had happened. Theydid not stay with the man whom I had shot, but came on in hot pursuit ofme. They were not mounted, and were making better time down the roughcanõn than I was on horseback. From time to time I heard them graduallygaining on me. 

At last they had come so near that I saw that I must abandon my horse. SoI jumped to the ground, and gave him a hard slap with the butt of one ofmy revolvers, which started him on down the valley, while I scrambled upthe mountain side. I had not ascended more than forty feet when I heardmy pursuers coming closer and closer; I quickly hid behind a large pinetree, and in a few moments they all rushed by me, being led on by therattling footsteps of my horse, which they heard ahead of them. Soon Iheard them firing at random at the horse, as they no doubt supposed I wasstill seated on his back. As soon as they had passed me I climbed furtherup the steep mountain, and knowing that I had given them the slip, andfeeling certain that I could keep out of their way, I at once struck outfor Horseshoe station, which was twenty-five miles distant. I had hardtraveling at first, but upon reaching lower and better ground, I madegood headway, walking all night and getting into the station just beforedaylight, --foot-sore, weary, and generally played out. 

I immediately waked up the men of the station and told them of myadventure. Slade himself happened to be there, and he at once organizeda party to go out and hunt up the horse-thieves. Shortly after daylighttwenty well-armed stage-drivers, stock-tenders and ranchmen weregalloping in the direction of the dug-out. Of course I went along withthe party, notwithstanding I was very tired and had had hardly any restat all. We had a brisk ride, and arrived in the immediate vicinity ofthe thieves' rendezvous at about ten o'clock in the morning. Weapproached the dug-out cautiously, but upon getting in close proximityto it we could discover no horses in sight. We could see the door of thedug-out standing wide open, and we then marched up to the place. No onewas inside, and the general appearance of everything indicated that theplace had been deserted--that the birds had flown. Such, indeed, provedto be the case. 

We found a new-made grave, where they had evidently buried the man whom Ihad shot. We made a thorough search of the whole vicinity, and finallyfound their trail going southeast in the direction of Denver. As it wouldhave been useless to follow them, we rode back to the station; and thusended my eventful bear-hunt. We had no more trouble for some time fromhorse-thieves after that. 

During the winter of 1860 and the spring of 1861 I remained at Horseshoe, occasionally riding pony express and taking care of stock. 

CHAPTER IX. 

FAST DRIVING. 

It was in the spring of 1861, while I was at Horseshoe, that theeastern-bound coach came in one day loaded down with passengers andbaggage, and stopped for dinner; Horseshoe being a regular dinnerstation as well as a home station. The passengers consisted of sixEnglishmen, and they had been continually grumbling about the slow timethat was being made by the stages, saying that the farther they got Eastthe slower they went. 

"These blarsted 'eathens don't know hanything habout staging, hany-'ow, "remarked one of them. 

"Blarst me bloody heyes! they cawn't stage in this country as we do inHingland, you know, " said another. 

Their remarks were overheard by Bob Scott, who was to drive the coachfrom Horseshoe to Fort Laramie, and he determined to give themsatisfaction before they got over his route. Scott was known to be thebest reinsman and the most expert driver on the whole line of the road. He was a very gentlemanly fellow in his general appearance and conduct, but at times he would become a reckless dare-devil, and would take moredesperate chances than any other driver. He delighted in driving wildteams on the darkest nights, over a mountain road, and had thus becomethe hero of many a thrilling adventure. 

It happened on this day he was to drive a team of six pony expresshorses, which had been only partially broken in as a stage team. As thestock-tenders were hitching them up, Bob, who was standing by, said, "I'll show them Englishmen that we 'blarsted heathens' do know somethingabout staging in this country. " We all knew from Bob's looks thatsomething was up. 

It required several men to hitch up this frisky team, as a man had tohold on to each one of the horses by the bits, while they were stringingthem out. The Englishmen came out from dinner, and were delighted to seethe horses prancing and pawing as if anxious to start. 

"Ha! my deah fellah, now we will 'ave a fine ride this hafternoon, " saidone of them. 

"By Jove! those are the kind of 'orses they hought to 'ave on hall theteams, " remarked another. 

"Are you the lad who is going to drive to-day?" asked another of Bob. 

"Yes, gentlemen, " answered Bob, "I'll show you how we stage it inthis country. "

Bob mounted the box, gathered the lines, and pulling the horses stronglyby the bits, he sang out to the Englishmen, "All aboard!" Bob's companionon the box was Capt. Cricket; a little fellow who was the messenger ofthe coach. After everybody was seated, Bob told the stock-tenders to"turn 'em loose. "

We, who were standing around to see the stage start out, expected itwould go off at a lively rate. We were considerably surprised, therefore, when, after the horses had made a few lively jumps, Bob put on the bigCalifornia brakes and brought them down to a walk. The road, for adistance of four miles, gradually rose to the top of a hill, and all theway up this ascent, Bob held the impatient team in check. 

"Blarst your heyes, driver, why don't you let them go?" exclaimed one ofthe passengers, who had all along been expecting a very brisk ride. Everyonce in a while they would ask him some such question, but he paid noattention to them. At last he reached the top of the hill, and then hesuddenly flung three of the lines on the left side of the team, and theother three on the right side. He then began "playing the silk tothem, "--that is to say, he began to lash them unmercifully. The teamstarted off like a streak of lightning, so to speak, without a singlerein being held by the driver. Bob cried out to the Englishmen, saying, "Hold on, gentlemen, and I'll give you a lively ride, and show you howto stage it in the Rocky Mountains. "

[Illustration: BOB SCOTT'S FAMOUS COACH RIDE. ]

His next movement was to pull the lamps out of the sockets and throw themat the leaders. The glass broke upon their backs and nearly set themwild, but being so accustomed to running the road, they never once leftthe track, and went flying on down the grade towards the next station, eight miles distant, the coach bouncing over the loose stones and smallobstacles, and surging from side to side, as an eggshell would in therapids of Niagara. Not satisfied with the break-neck rate at which theywere traveling, Bob pulled out his revolver and fired in rapidsuccession, at the same time yelling in a demoniacal manner. 

By this time the Englishmen had become thoroughly frightened, as they sawthe lines flying wildly in every direction and the team running away. They did not know whether to jump out or remain in the coach. Bob wouldoccasionally look down from his seat, and, seeing their frightened faces, would ask, "Well, how do you like staging in this country now?" TheEnglishmen stuck to the coach, probably thinking it would be better to doso than to take the chances of breaking their necks by jumping. 

As the flying team was nearing the station, the stock tender saw thatthey were running away and that the driver had no control over themwhatever. Being aware that the pony express horses were accustomed torunning right into the stable on arriving at the station, he threw openthe large folding doors, which would just allow the passage of the teamand coach into the stable. The horses, sure enough, made for the opendoorway. Capt. Cricket, the messenger, and Scott got down in the boot ofthe coach to save themselves from colliding with the top of the stabledoor. The coach would probably have passed through into the stablewithout any serious damage had it not been for the bar or threshold thatwas stretched across the ground to fasten the doors to. This bar was asmall log, and the front wheels struck it with such force that the coachwas thrown up high enough to strike the upper portion of the door frame. The top of the coach was completely torn off, and one of the passenger'sarms was broken. This was the only serious injury that was done; thoughit was a matter of surprise to all, that any of the travelers escaped. 

The coach was backed out, when the running gear was found to be as goodas ever. The top was soon patched up, a change of team was made, and BobScott, mounting the box as if nothing had happened, took the reins inhand, and shouted, "All aboard!" The Englishmen, however, had had enoughof Bob Scott, and not one of the party was willing to risk his life withhim again. They said that he was drunk, or crazy or both, and that theywould report him and have him discharged for what he had already done. 

Bob waited a few minutes to give them an opportunity to take their seatsin the coach, but they told him most emphatically that he could drive onwithout them, as they intended to wait there for the next stage. Theirtraps were taken off, and Bob drove away without a single passenger. Hemade his usual time into Fort Laramie, which was the end of his run. TheEnglishmen came through on the next day's coach, and proceeded on toAtchison, where they reported Bob to the superintendent of the line, who, however, paid little or no attention to the matter, as Bob remained onthe road. Such is the story of the liveliest and most reckless piece ofstage-driving that ever occurred on the Overland stage road. 

CHAPTER X. 

QUESTIONABLE PROCEEDINGS. 

Having been away from home nearly a year, and having occasionally heardof my mother's poor health, I determined to make her a visit; soprocuring a pass over the road, I went to Leavenworth, arriving thereabout June 1st, 1861, going from there home. The civil war had brokenout, and excitement ran high in that part of the country. My mother, ofcourse, was a strong Union woman, and had such great confidence in thegovernment that she believed the war would not last over six months. 

Leavenworth at that time was quite an important outfitting post for theWest and Southwest, and the fort there was garrisoned by a large numberof troops. While in the city one day I met several of the old, as well asthe young men, who had been members of the Free State party all throughthe Kansas troubles, and who had, like our family, lost everything at thehands of the Missourians. They now thought a good opportunity offered toretaliate and get even with their persecutors, as they were allconsidered to be secessionists. That they were all secessionists, however, was not true, as all of them did not sympathize with the South. But the Free State men, myself among them, took it for granted that asMissouri was a slave state the inhabitants must all be secessionists, andtherefore our enemies. A man by the name of Chandler proposed that weorganize an independent company for the purpose of invading Missouri andmaking war on its people on our own responsibility. He at once went aboutit in a very quiet way, and succeeded in inducing twenty-five men to joinhim in the hazardous enterprise. Having a longing and revengeful desireto retaliate upon the Missourians for the brutal manner in which they hadtreated and robbed my family, I became a member of Chandler's company. His plan was that we should leave our homes in parties of not more thantwo or three together, and meet at a certain point near Westport, Missouri, on a fixed day. His instructions were carried out to theletter, and we met at the rendezvous at the appointed time. Chandler hadbeen there some days before us, and, thoroughly disguised, had beenlooking around the country for the whereabouts of all the best horses. Hedirected us to secretly visit certain farms and collect all the horsespossible, and bring them together the next night. This we did, and uponreassembling it was found that nearly every man had two horses. Weimmediately struck out for the Kansas line, which we crossed at an Indianferry on the Kansas river, above Wyandotte, and as soon as we had setfoot upon Kansas soil we separated with the understanding; that we wereto meet one week from that day at Leavenworth. 

[Illustration: NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES. ]

Some of the parties boldly took their confiscated horses intoLeavenworth, while others rode them to their homes. This action may lookto the reader like horse-stealing, and some people might not hesitate tocall it by that name; but Chandler plausibly maintained that we were onlygetting back our own, or the equivalent, from the Missourians, and as thegovernment was waging war against the South, it was perfectly square andhonest, and we had a good right to do it. So we didn't let ourconsciences trouble us very much. 

We continued to make similar raids upon the Missourians off and on duringthe summer, and occasionally we had running fights with them; none of theskirmishes, however, amounting to much. 

The government officials hearing of our operations, put detectives uponour track, and several of the party were arrested. My mother, uponlearning that I was engaged in this business, told me it was neitherhonorable nor right, and she would not for a moment countenance any suchproceedings. Consequently I abandoned the jay-hawking enterprise, forsuch it really was. 

About this time the government bought from Jones and Cartwright severalox-trains, which were sent to Rolla, Missouri, all being put in charge ofmy old and gallant friend, Wild Bill, who had just become the hero of theday, on account of a terrible fight which he had had with a gang ofdesperadoes and outlaws, who infested the border under the leadership ofthe then notorious Jake McCandless. In this fight he had killedMcCandless and three of his men. 

The affair occurred while Wild Bill was riding the pony express inwestern Kansas. 

The custom with the express riders, when within half a mile of astation, was either to begin shouting or blowing a horn in order tonotify the stock tender of his approach, and to have a fresh horsealready saddled for him on his arrival, so that he could go right onwithout a moment's delay. 

One day, as Wild Bill neared Rock Creek station, where he was to changehorses, he began shouting as usual at the proper distance; but thestock-tender, who had been married only a short time and had his wifeliving with him at the station, did not make his accustomed appearance. Wild Bill galloped up and instead of finding the stock-tender ready forhim with a fresh horse, he discovered him lying across the stable doorwith the blood oozing from a bullet-hole in his head. The man was dead, and it was evident that he had been killed only a few moments before. 

In a second Wild Bill jumped from his horse, and looking in the directionof the house he saw a man coming towards him. The approaching man firedon him at once, but missed his aim. Quick as lightning Wild Bill pulledhis revolver and returned the fire. The stranger fell dead, shot throughthe brain. 

"Bill, Bill! Help! Help! save me!" Such was the cry that Bill now heard. It was the shrill and pitiful voice of the dead stock-tender's wife, andit came from a window of the house. She had heard the exchange of shots, and knew that Wild Bill had arrived. 

He dashed over the dead body of the villain whom he had killed, and justas he sprang into the door of the house, he saw two powerful menassaulting the woman. One of the desperadoes was in the act of strikingher with the butt end of a revolver, and while his arm was still raised, Bill sent a ball crashing through his skull, killing him instantly. Twoother men now came rushing from an adjoining room, and Bill, seeing thatthe odds were three to one against him, jumped into a corner, and thenfiring, he killed another of the villains. Before he could shoot againthe remaining two men closed in upon him, one of whom had drawn a largebowie knife. Bill wrenched the knife from his grasp and drove it throughthe heart of the outlaw. 

[Illustration: WILD BILL AND THE OUTLAWS. ]

The fifth and last man now grabbed Bill by the throat, and held him atarm's length, but it was only for a moment, as Bill raised his ownpowerful right arm and struck his antagonist's left arm such a terribleblow that he broke it. The disabled desperado, seeing that he was nolonger a match for Bill, jumped through the door, and mounting a horse hesucceeded in making his escape--being the sole survivor of the JakeMcCandless gang. 

Wild Bill remained at the station with the terrified woman until thestage came along, and he then consigned her to the care of the driver. Mounting his horse he at once galloped off, and soon disappeared in thedistance, making up for lost time. 

This was the exploit that was on everybody's tongue and in everynewspaper. It was one of the most remarkable and desperate hand to handencounters that has ever taken place on the border. 

I happened to meet Wild Bill at Leavenworth as he was about to depart forRolla; he wished me to take charge of the government trains as a sort ofassistant under him, and I gladly accepted the offer. Arriving at Rolla, we loaded the trains with freight and took them to Springfield, Missouri. 

On our return to Rolla we heard a great deal of talk about theapproaching fall races at St. Louis, and Wild Bill having brought a fastrunning horse from the mountains, determined to take him to that city andmatch him against some of the high-flyers there; and down to St. Louis wewent with this running horse, placing our hopes very high on him. 

Wild Bill had no difficulty in making up a race for him. All the moneythat he and I had we put up on the mountain runner, and as we thought wehad a sure thing, we also bet the horse against $250. I rode the horsemyself, but nevertheless, our sure thing, like many another sure thing, proved a total failure, and we came out of that race minus the horse andevery dollar we had in the world. 

Before the race it had been "make or break" with us, and we got "broke. "We were "busted" in the largest city we had ever been in, and it is noexaggeration to say that we felt mighty blue. 

On the morning after the race we went to the military headquarters, whereBill succeeded in securing an engagement for himself as a governmentscout, but I being so young failed in obtaining similar employment. WildBill, however, raised some money, by borrowing it from a friend, and thenbuying me a steamboat ticket he sent me back to Leavenworth, while hewent to Springfield, which place he made his headquarters while scoutingin southeastern Missouri. 

One night, after he had returned from a scouting expedition, he took ahand in a game of poker, and in the course of the game he became involvedin a quarrel with Dave Tutt, a professional gambler, about a watch whichhe had won from Tutt, who would not give it up. 

Bill told him he had won it fairly, and that he proposed to have it;furthermore, he declared his intention of carrying the watch across thestreet next morning to military headquarters, at which place he had toreport at nine o'clock. 

Tutt replied that he would himself carry the watch across the street atnine o'clock, and no other man would do it. 

Bill then said to Tutt that if he attempted anything of the kind, hewould kill him. 

A challenge to a duel had virtually been given and accepted, andeverybody knew that the two men meant business. At nine o'clock the nextmorning, Tutt started to cross the street. Wild Bill, who was standing onthe opposite side, told him to stop. At that moment Tutt, who wascarrying his revolver in his hand, fired at Bill but missed him. Billquickly pulled out his revolver and returned the fire, hitting Tuttsquarely in the forehead and killing him instantly. 

Quite a number of Tutt's friends were standing in the vicinity, havingassembled to witness the duel, and Bill, as soon as Tutt fell to theground, turned to them and asked if any one of them wanted to take it upfor Tutt; if so, he would accommodate any of them then and there. Butnone of them cared to stand in front of Wild Bill to be shot at by him. 

Nothing of course was ever done to Bill for the killing of Tutt. 

CHAPTER XI. 

A SOLDIER. 

In the fall of 1861 I made a trip to Fort Larned, Kansas, carryingmilitary dispatches, and in the winter I accompanied George Long throughthe country, and assisted him in buying horses for the government. 

The next spring, 1862, an expedition against the Indians was organized, consisting of a volunteer regiment, the Ninth Kansas, under ColonelClark. This expedition, which I had joined in the capacity of guide andscout, proceeded to the Kiowa and Comanche country, on the Arkansasriver, along which stream we scouted all summer between Fort Lyon andFort Larned, on the old Santa Fe trail. We had several engagements withthe Indians, but they were of no great importance. 

In the winter of 1862, I became one of the "Red Legged Scouts, "--acompany of scouts commanded by Captain Tuff. Among its members were someof the most noted Kansas Rangers, such as Red Clark, the St. Clairbrothers, Jack Harvey, an old pony express-rider named Johnny Fry, andmany other well known frontiersmen. Our field of operations was confinedmostly to the Arkansas country and southwestern Missouri. We had many alively skirmish with the bushwhackers and Younger brothers, and when wewere not hunting them, we were generally employed in carrying dispatchesbetween Forts Dodge, Gibson, Leavenworth, and other posts. Whenever wewere in Leavenworth we had a very festive time. We usually attended allthe balls in full force, and "ran things" to suit ourselves. Thus Ipassed the winter of 1862 and the spring of 1863. 

Subsequently I engaged to conduct a small train to Denver for somemerchants, and on reaching that place in September, I received a letterstating that my mother was not expected to live. I hastened home, andfound her dangerously ill. She grew gradually worse, and at last, on the22d of November, 1863, she died. Thus passed away a loving andaffectionate mother and a noble, brave, good and loyal woman. That Iloved her above all other persons, no one who has read thesereminiscences can for a moment doubt. 

Previous to this said event my sister Julia had been married to agentleman named J. A. Goodman, and they now came to reside at ourhouse and take charge of the children, as my mother had desired thatthey should not be separated. Mr. Goodman became the guardian of theminor children. 

I soon left the home now rendered gloomy by the absence of her whom I hadso tenderly loved, and going to Leavenworth I entered upon a dissoluteand reckless life--to my shame be it said--and associated with gamblers, drunkards, and bad characters generally. I continued my dissipation abouttwo months, and was becoming a very "hard case. " About this time theSeventh Kansas regiment, known as "Jennison's Jay-hawkers, " returned fromthe war, and re-enlisted and re-organized as veterans. Among them I metquite a number of my old comrades and neighbors, who tried to induce meto enlist and go south with them. I had no idea of doing anything of thekind; but one day, after having been under the influence of bad whisky, Iawoke to find myself a soldier in the Seventh Kansas. I did not rememberhow or when I had enlisted, but I saw I was in for it, and that it wouldnot do for me to endeavor to back out. 

In the spring of 1864 the regiment was ordered to Tennessee, and we gotinto Memphis just about the time that General Sturgis was so badlywhipped by General Forrest. General A. J. Smith re-organized the army tooperate against Forrest, and after marching to Tupalo, Mississippi, wehad an engagement with him and defeated him. This kind of fighting wasall new to me, being entirely different from any in which I had everbefore engaged. I soon became a non-commissioned officer, and was put ondetached service as a scout. 

After skirmishing around the country with the rest of the army for somelittle time, our regiment returned to Memphis, but was immediatelyordered to Cape Girardeau, in Missouri, as a confederate force underGeneral Price was then raiding that state. The command of which myregiment was a part hurried to the front to intercept Price, and ourfirst fight with him occurred at Pilot Knob. From that time for nearlysix weeks we fought or skirmished every day. 

I was still acting as a scout, when one day I rode ahead of the command, some considerable distance, to pick up all possible informationconcerning Price's movements. I was dressed in gray clothes, or Missourijeans, and on riding up to a farm-house and entering, I saw a man, alsodressed in gray costume, sitting at a table eating bread and milk. Helooked up as I entered, and startled me by saying:

"You little rascal, what are you doing in those 'secesh' clothes?" Judgeof my surprise when I recognized in the stranger my old friend andpartner, Wild Bill, disguised as a Confederate officer. 

"I ask you the same question, sir, " said I without the least hesitation. 

"Hush! sit down and have some bread and milk, and we'll talk it all overafterwards, " said he. 

I accepted the invitation and partook of the refreshments. Wild Billpaid the woman of the house, and we went out to the gate where my horsewas standing. 

"Billy, my boy, " said he, "I am mighty glad to see you. I haven't seen orheard of you since we got busted on that St. Louis' horse-race. "

"What are you doing out here?" I asked. 

"I am a scout under General McNiel. For the last few days I have beenwith General Marmaduke's division of Price's army, in disguise as asouthern officer from Texas, as you see me now, " said he. 

"That's exactly the kind of business that I am out on to-day, " said I;"and I want to get some information concerning Price's movements. "

"I'll give you all that I have;" and he then went on and told me all thathe knew regarding Price's intentions, and the number and condition of hismen. He then asked about my mother, and when he learned that she was deadhe was greatly surprised and grieved; he thought a great deal of her, forshe had treated him almost as one of her own children. He finally tookout a package, which he had concealed about his person, and handing it tome he said:

"Here are some letters which I want you to give to General McNiel. "

"All right, " said I as I took them, "but where will I meet you again?"

"Never mind that, " he replied; "I am getting so much valuable informationthat I propose to stay a little while longer in this disguise. " Thereuponwe shook hands and parted. 

It is not necessary to say much concerning Price's raid in general, asthat event is a matter of recorded history. I am only relating theincidents in which I was personally interested either as one of theactors or as an observer. 

Another interesting and I may say exciting episode happened to me a dayor two after my unexpected meeting with Wild Bill. I was riding with theadvance guard of our army, and wishing a drink of water, I stopped at afarmhouse. There were no men about the premises, and no one excepting avery fine and intellectual looking lady and her two daughters. Theyseemed to be almost frightened to death at seeing me--a "yank"--appearbefore them. I quieted their fears somewhat, and the mother then asked mehow far back the army was. When I told her it would be along shortly, sheexpressed her fears that they would take everything on the premises. Theyset me out a lunch and treated me rather kindly, so that I really beganto sympathize with them; for I knew that the soldiers would ransack theirhouse and confiscate everything they could lay their hands on. At last Iresolved to do what I could to protect them. After the generals and thestaff officers had passed by, I took it upon myself to be a sentry overthe house. When the command came along some of the men rushed up with theintention of entering the place and carrying off all the desirableplunder possible, and then tearing and breaking everything to pieces, asthey usually did along the line of march. 

"Halt!" I shouted; "I have been placed here by the commanding officer asa guard over this house, and no man must enter it. "

This stopped the first squad; and seeing that my plan was a success, Iremained at my post during the passage of the entire command and kept outall intruders. 

It seemed as if the ladies could not thank me sufficiently for theprotection I had afforded them. They were perfectly aware of the factthat I had acted without orders and entirely on my own responsibility, and therefore they felt the more grateful. They urgently invited me toremain a little while longer and partake of an excellent dinner whichthey said they were preparing for me. I was pretty hungry about thattime, as our rations had been rather slim of late, and a good dinner wasa temptation I could not withstand, especially as it was to be served upby such elegant ladies. While I was eating the meal, I was most agreeablyentertained by the young ladies, and before I had finished it the last ofthe rear-guard must have been at least two miles from the house. 

Suddenly three men entered the room, and I looked up and saw threedouble-barreled shot-guns leveled straight at me. Before I could speak, however, the mother and her daughters sprang between the men and me. 

"Father! Boys! Lower your guns! You must not shoot this man, " and similarexclamations, were the cry of all three. 

The guns were lowered, and then the men, who were the father andbrothers of the young ladies, were informed of what I had done for them. It appeared that they had been concealed in the woods near by while thearmy was passing, and on coming into the house and finding a Yankeethere, they determined to shoot him. Upon learning the facts, the old manextended his hand to me, saying:

"I would not harm a hair of your head for the world; but it is best thatyou stay here no longer, as your command is some distance from here now, and you might be cut off by bushwhackers before reaching it. "

Bidding them all good-bye, and with many thanks from the mother anddaughters, I mounted my horse and soon overtook the column, happy in thethought that I had done a good deed, and with no regrets that I had savedfrom pillage and destruction the home and property of a confederate andhis family. 

Our command kept crowding against Price and his army until they werepushed into the vicinity of Kansas City, where their further advance waschecked by United States troops from Kansas; and then was begun theirmemorable and extraordinary retreat back into Kansas. 

While both armies were drawn up in skirmish line near Fort Scott, Kansas, two men on horseback were seen rapidly leaving the Confederate lines, andsuddenly they made a dash towards us. Instantly quick volleys weredischarged from the Confederates, who also began a pursuit, and some fivehundred shots were fired at the flying men. It was evident that they weretrying to reach our lines, but when within about a quarter of a mile ofus, one of them fell from his horse to rise no more. He had been fatallyshot. His companion galloped on unhurt, and seven companies of ourregiment charged out and met him, and checked his pursuers. The fugitivewas dressed in Confederate uniform, and as he rode into our lines Irecognized him as Wild Bill, the Union scout. He immediately soughtGenerals Pleasanton and McNiel, with whom he held a consultation. He toldthem that although Price made a bold showing on the front, by bringingall his men into view, yet he was really a great deal weaker than theappearance of his lines would indicate; and that he was then trying tocross a difficult stream four miles from Fort Scott. 

It was late in the afternoon, but General Pleasanton immediately orderedan advance, and we charged in full force upon the rear of Price's army, and drove it before us for two hours. 

If Wild Bill could have made his successful dash into our lines earlierin the day, the attack would have been made sooner, and greater resultsmight have been expected. The Confederates had suspected him of being aspy for two or three days, and had watched him too closely to allow anopportunity to get away from them sooner. His unfortunate companion whohad been shot, was a scout from Springfield, Missouri, whose name Icannot now remember. 

From this time on, Wild Bill and myself continued to scout together untilPrice's army was driven south of the Arkansas River and the pursuitabandoned. We then returned to Springfield, Missouri, for a rest and forsupplies, and Wild Bill and myself spent two weeks there in "having ajolly good time, " as some people would express it. 

CHAPTER XII. 

A WEDDING. 

It was during the winter of 1864-65, while I was on detached service atmilitary headquarters, at St. Louis, that I became acquainted with ayoung lady named Louisa Frederici, whom I greatly admired and in whosecharming society I spent many a pleasant hour. The war closing in1865, I was discharged, and after a brief visit at Leavenworth Ireturned to St. Louis, having made up my mind to capture the heart ofMiss Frederici, whom I now adored above any other young lady I had everseen. Her lovely face, her gentle disposition and her graceful mannerswon my admiration and love; and I was not slow in declaring mysentiments to her. The result was that I obtained her consent to marryme in the near future, and when I bade her good-bye I considered myselfone of the happiest of men. 

Meantime I drove a string of horses from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney, where I met my old friend Bill Trotter, who was then division stageagent. He employed me at once to drive stage between Kearney and PlumCreek, the road running near the spot where I had my first Indian fightwith the McCarthy brothers, and where I killed my first Indian, nearlynine years before. I drove stage over this route until February, 1866, and while bounding over the cold, dreary road day after day, my thoughtsturned continually towards my promised bride, until I at last determinedto abandon staging forever, and marry and settle down. Immediately aftercoming to this conclusion, I went to St. Louis, where I was mostcordially received by my sweetheart; it was arranged between us that ourwedding should take place on the 6th day of March, following. 

At last the day arrived, and the wedding ceremony was performed at theresidence of the bride's parents, in the presence of a large number ofinvited friends, whose hearty congratulations we received. I wascertainly to be congratulated, for I had become possessed of a lovelyand noble woman, and as I gazed upon her as she stood beside me arrayedin her wedding costume, I indeed felt proud of her; and from that timeto this I have always thought that I made a most fortunate choice for alife partner. 

An hour after the ceremony we--my bride and myself--were on board of aMissouri river steamboat, bound for our new home in Kansas. My wife'sparents had accompanied us to the boat, and had bidden us a fond farewelland a God-speed on our journey. 

During the trip up the river several very amusing, yet awkwardincidents occurred, some of which I cannot resist relating. Therehappened to be on board the boat an excursion party from Lexington, Missouri, and those comprising it seemed to shun me, for some reasonwhich I could not then account for. They would point at me, and quietlytalk among themselves, and eye me very closely. Their actions seemedvery strange to me. After the boat had proceeded some little distance, I made the acquaintance of several families from Indiana, who were _enroute_ to Kansas. A gentleman, who seemed to be the leader of thesecolonists, said to me, "The people of this excursion party don't seemto have any great love for you. "

"What does it mean?" I asked; "What are they saying? It's all amystery to me. "

"They say that you are one of the Kansas jay-hawkers, and one ofJennison's house burners, " replied the gentleman. 

"I am from Kansas--that's true; and was a soldier and a scout in theUnion army, " said I; "and I was in Kansas during the border ruffian warof 1856. Perhaps these people know who I am, and that explains theirhard looks. " I had a lengthy conversation with this gentleman--for suchhe seemed to be--and entertained him with several chapters of thehistory of the early Kansas troubles, and told him the experiences ofmy own family. 

In the evening the Lexington folks got up a dance, but neither theIndiana people, my wife or myself were invited to join them. Mynew-found friend thereupon came to me and said: "Mr. Cody, let us have adance of our own. "

"Very well, " was my reply. 

"We have some musicians along with us, so we can have plenty of music, "remarked the gentleman. 

"Good enough!" said I, "and I will hire the negro barber to play theviolin for us. He is a good fiddler, as I heard him playing only alittle while ago. " The result was that we soon organized a good stringband and had a splendid dance, keeping it up as long as the Lexingtonparty did theirs. 

The second day out from St. Louis, the boat stopped to wood up, at awild-looking landing. Suddenly twenty horsemen were seen galloping upthrough the timber, and as they came nearer the boat they fired on thenegro deckhands, against whom they seemed to have a special grudge, andwho were engaged in throwing wood on board. The negroes all quicklyjumped on the boat and pulled in the gang plank, and the captain had onlyjust time to get the steamer out into the stream before thebushwhackers--for such they proved to be--appeared on the bank. 

"Where is the black abolition jay-hawker?" shouted the leader. 

"Show him to us, and we'll shoot him, " yelled another. 

But as the boat had got well out in the river by this time, they couldnot board us, and the captain ordering a full head of steam, pulled outand left them. 

I afterwards ascertained that some of the Missourians, who were with theexcursion party, were bushwhackers themselves, and had telegraphed totheir friends from some previous landing that I was on board, tellingthem to come to the landing which we had just left, and take me off. Hadthe villains captured me they would have undoubtedly put an end to mycareer, and the public would never have had the pleasure of being boredby this autobiography. 

I noticed that my wife felt grieved over the manner in which thesepeople had treated me. Just married, she was going into a new country, and seeing how her husband was regarded, how he had been shunned, andhow his life had been threatened, I was afraid she might come to theconclusion too soon that she had wedded a "hard customer. " So when theboat landed at Kansas City I telegraphed to some of my friends inLeavenworth that I would arrive there in the evening. My object was tohave my acquaintances give me a reception, so that my wife could seethat I really did have some friends, and was not so bad a man as thebushwhackers tried to make out. 

Just as I expected, when the boat reached Leavenworth, I found a generalround-up of friends at the landing to receive us. There were about sixtygentlemen and ladies. They had a band of music with them, and we weregiven a fine serenade. Taking carriages, we all drove to SouthLeavenworth to the home of my sister Eliza, who had married George Myers, and there we were given a very handsome reception. All this cheered up mywife, who concluded that I was not a desperado after all. 

Having promised my wife that I would abandon the plains, I rented a hotelin Salt Creek Valley--the same house by the way, which my mother hadformerly kept, but which was then owned by Dr. J. J. Crook, late surgeonof the 7th Kansas. This hotel I called the Golden Rule House, and I keptit until the next September. People generally said I made a goodlandlord, and knew how to run a hotel--a business qualification which, itis said, is possessed by comparatively few men. But it proved too tameemployment for me, and again I sighed for the freedom of the plains. Believing that I could make more money out West on the frontier than Icould at Salt Creek Valley, I sold out the Golden Rule House, and startedalone for Saline, Kansas, which was then the end of the track of theKansas Pacific railway, which was at that time being built across theplains. On my way I stopped at Junction City, where I again met my oldfriend Wild Bill, who was scouting for the government; his headquartersbeing at Fort Ellsworth, afterwards called Fort Harker. He told me thatthey needed more scouts at this post, and I accordingly accompanied himto that fort, where I had no difficulty in obtaining employment. 

During the winter of 1866-67, I scouted between Fort Ellsworth and FortFletcher. In the spring of 1867 I was at Fort Fletcher, when GeneralCuster came out to go on an Indian expedition with General Hancock. Iremained at this post until it was drowned out by the heavy floods of BigCreek, on which it was located; the water rose about the fortificationsand rendered the place unfit for occupancy; so the government abandonedthe fort, and moved the troops and supplies to a new post--which had beennamed Fort Hays--located further west, on the south fork of Big Creek. Itwas while scouting in the vicinity of Fort Hays that I had my first ridewith the dashing and gallant Custer, who had come up to the post fromFort Ellsworth with an escort of only ten men. He wanted a guide to pilothim to Fort Larned, a distance of sixty-five miles across the country. 

I was ordered by the commanding officer to guide General Custer to hisdesired destination, and I soon received word from the General that hewould start out in the morning with the intention of making the trip inone day. Early in the morning, after a good night's rest, I was on hand, mounted on my large mouse-colored mule--an animal of great endurance--andready for the journey; when the General saw me, he said:

"Cody, I want to travel fast and go through as quickly as possible, and Idon't think that mule of yours is fast enough to suit me. "

"General, never mind the mule, " said I, "he'll get there as soon as yourhorses. That mule is a good one, " as I knew that the animal was betterthan most horses. 

"Very well; go ahead, then, " said he, though he looked as if he thought Iwould delay the party on the road. 

For the first fifteen miles, until we came to the Smoky Hill River, which we were to cross, I could hardly keep the mule in advance of theGeneral, who rode a frisky, impatient and ambitious thoroughbred steed;in fact, the whole party was finely mounted. The General repeatedly toldme that the mule was "no good, " and that I ought to have had a goodhorse. But after crossing the river and striking the sand-hills, I beganletting my mule out a little, and putting the "persuaders" to him. Hewas soon out-traveling the horses, and by the time we had made abouthalf the distance to Fort Larned, I occasionally had to wait for theGeneral or some of his party, as their horses were beginning to showsigns of fatigue. 

"General, how about this mule, anyhow?" I asked, at last. 

"Cody, you have a better vehicle than I thought you had, " was his reply. 

From that time on to Fort Larned I had no trouble in keeping ahead of theparty. We rode into the fort at four o'clock in the afternoon with abouthalf the escort only, the rest having lagged far behind. 

General Custer thanked me for having brought him straight across thecountry without any trail, and said that if I were not engaged as postscout at Fort Hays he would like to have me accompany him as one of hisscouts during the summer; and he added that whenever I was out ofemployment, if I would come to him he would find something for me to do. This was the beginning of my acquaintance with General Custer, whom Ialways admired as a man and as an officer. 

[Illustration: GENERAL CUSTER]

A few days after my return to Fort Hays, the Indians made a raid on theKansas Pacific Railroad, killing five or six men and running off aboutone hundred horses and mules. The news was brought to the commandingofficer, who immediately ordered Major Arms, of the Tenth Cavalry--which, by the way, was a negro regiment, --with his company and one mountainhowitzer, to go in pursuit of the red-skins, and I was sent along withthe expedition as scout and guide. On the second day out we suddenlydiscovered, on the opposite side of the Saline River, about a miledistant, a large body of Indians, who were charging down upon us. MajorArms, placing the cannon on a little knoll, limbered it up and lefttwenty men to guard it; and then, with the rest of the command, hecrossed the river to meet the Indians. 

Just as he had got the men over the stream, we heard a terrific yellingand shouting in our rear, and looking back to the knoll where the cannonhad been stationed, we saw the negroes, who had been left there to guardthe gun, flying towards us, being pursued by about one hundred Indians;while another large party of the latter were dancing around the capturedcannon, as if they had got hold of an elephant and did not know what todo with it. 

Major Arms turned his command back and drove the Indians from the gun. The troops then dismounted and took position there. Quite a severe fightensued, lasting about two hours. Five or six of the soldiers, as well asMajor Arms, were wounded, and several of the horses were shot. TheIndians seemed to grow thicker and thicker, as if receivingreinforcements from some large party. The colored troops, who had beenbragging all the way that if they could only see some Indians "dey wouldblow 'em off de farm, "--which was a favorite expression of theirs, --werenow singing a different tune. Every time the Indians would make a chargeat us, the darkeys would cry out:

"Heah dey cum;" "Dey must be ten thousand ob 'em;" "De whole country isalive wid 'em;" "Massa Bill, does you tink we is eber agoin' to get outo' heah?" and many other similar expressions. 

Major Arms, who was wounded and lying under the cannon--which, by theway, had become useless, --called me up and asked if I thought there wasany show of getting back to the fort. I replied that there was. 

Orders were accordingly given by Major Arms for a retreat, the cannonbeing left behind. During the movement several of our men were killed, but as night came and dense darkness prevailed, we succeeded in makinggood headway, and got into Fort Hays just at daylight next morning, in avery played-out condition. 

During our absence the cholera had broken out at the post, and five orsix men were dying daily. It was difficult to tell which was the greaterdanger--fighting Indians on the prairie, or facing the cholera in camp;but the former was decidedly the more inviting. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

A MILLIONAIRE. 

Soon after returning to Fort Hays, I was sent with dispatches to FortHarker. After delivering the messages, I visited the town of Ellsworth, about three miles west of Fort Harker, and there I met a man namedWilliam Rose, a contractor on the Kansas Pacific Railroad, who had acontract for grading near Fort Hays. He had had his stock stolen by theIndians, and had come to Ellsworth to buy more. 

During the course of our conversation, Mr. Rose incidentally remarkedthat he had some idea of laying out a town on the west side of Big Creek, about one mile from the fort, where the railroad was to cross. He askedmy opinion of the contemplated enterprise, and I told him that I thoughtit was "a big thing. " He then proposed taking me as a partner in thescheme, and suggested that after we got the town laid out and thrown opento the public, we should establish a store and saloon there. 

Thinking it would be a grand thing to be half-owner of a town, I at onceaccepted his proposition. We bought a stock of such articles as areusually found in a frontier store, and transported them to the place onBig Creek, where we were to found our town. We hired a railroad engineerto survey the site and stake it off into lots; and we gave the new townthe ancient and historical name of Rome. To a "starter, " we donated lotsto any one who would build on them, but reserved the corner lots andothers which were best located for ourselves. These reserved lots wevalued at fifty dollars each. 

Our modern Rome, like all mushroom towns along the line of a newrailroad, sprang up as if by magic, and in less than one month we had twohundred frame and log houses, three or four stores, several saloons, andone good hotel. Rome was looming up, and Rose and I already consideredourselves millionaires, and thought we "had the world by the tail. " Butone day a fine-looking gentleman, calling himself Dr. W. E. Webb, appearedin town, and dropping into our store introduced himself in a verypleasant way. 

"Gentlemen, you've got a very flourishing little town here. Wouldn't youlike to have a partner in your enterprise?"

"No, thank you, " said I, "we have too good a thing here to whack upwith anybody. "

My partner agreed with me, but the conversation was continued, and atlast the stranger said:

"Gentlemen, I am the agent or prospector of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and my business is to locate towns for the company along the line. "

"We think we have the only suitable town-site in this immediatelocality, " said Mr. Rose, "and as a town is already started, we havesaved the company considerable expense. "

"You know as well as I do, " said Dr. Webb, "that the company expects tomake money by selling lands and town lots; and as you are not disposed togive the company a show, or share with me, I shall probably have to startanother town near you. Competition is the life of trade, you know. "

"Start your town, if you want to. We've got the 'bulge' on you, and canhold it, " said I, somewhat provoked at his threat. 

But we acted too independently and too indiscreetly for our own good Dr. Webb, the very next day after his interview with us, began haulingmaterial to a spot about one mile east of us, where he staked out a newtown, which he called Hays City. He took great pains to circulate in ourtown the story that the railroad company would locate their round-housesand machine shops at Hays City, and that it was to be _the_ town and asplendid business center. A ruinous stampede from our place was theresult. People who had built in Rome came to the conclusion that they hadbuilt in the wrong place; they began pulling down their buildings andmoving them over to Hays City, and in less than three days our onceflourishing city had dwindled down to the little store which Rose and Ihad built. 

It was on a bright summer morning that we sat on a pine box in front ofour crib, moodily viewing the demolition of the last building. Three daysbefore, we had considered ourselves millionaires; on that morning welooked around and saw that we were reduced to the ragged edge of poverty. Our sanguine expectations of realizing immense fortunes were dashed tothe ground, and we felt pretty blue. The new town of Hays had swallowedRome entirely. Mr. Rose facetiously remarked that he felt like "the lastrose of summer, " with all his lovely companions faded and gone, and _he_left blooming alone. I told him I was still there, staunch and true, buthe replied that that didn't help the matter much. Thus ends the briefhistory of the "Rise, Decline and Fall" of Modern Rome. 

It having become evident to me that there was very little hope of Romeever regaining its former splendor and prosperity, I sent my wife anddaughter Arta--who had been born at Leavenworth in the latter part ofDecember, 1866--to St. Louis on a visit. They had been living with mefor some little time in the rear part of our "store. "

At this time Mr. Rose and myself had a contract under Schumacher, Miller& Co. , constructors of the Kansas Pacific, for grading five miles oftrack westward from Big Creek, and running through the site of Rome. Notwithstanding we had been deserted, we had some small hope that theywould not be able to get water at the new town, and that the people wouldall soon move back to Rome, as we really had the best location. Wedetermined, therefore, to go on with our grading contract, and wait forsomething better to turn up. It was indeed hard for us, who had beenmillionaires, to come down to the level of common railroad contractors--but we had to do it, all the same. 

We visited the new town of Hays almost daily, to see how it wasprogressing, and in a short time we became much better acquainted withDr. Webb, who had reduced us from our late independent to our presentdependent position. We found him a perfect gentleman--a whole-souled, genial-hearted fellow, whom everybody liked and respected. Nearlyevery day, "Doc. " and I would take a ride over the prairie togetherand hunt buffalo. 

On one occasion, having ventured about ten miles from the town, we spieda band of Indians not over two miles distant, who were endeavoring to getbetween us and the town, and thus cut us off. I was mounted on mycelebrated horse Brigham, the fleetest steed I ever owned. On severalsubsequent occasions he saved my life, and he was the horse that I rodewhen I killed sixty-nine buffaloes in one day. Dr. Webb was riding abeautiful thoroughbred bay, which he had brought with him from the East. Having such splendid horses, we laughed at the idea of a band of Indiansovertaking us on a square run, no matter how well they might be mounted;but not caring to be cut off by them, we ran our steeds about threemiles towards home, thus getting between the braves and the town. TheIndians were then about three-quarters of a mile distant, and we stoppedand waved our hats at them, and fired some shots at long range. Therewere thirteen in the party, and as they were getting pretty close to us, we struck out for Hays. They came on in pursuit and sent severalscattering shots after us, but we easily left them behind. They finallyturned and rode off towards the Saline River. 

The Doctor thought this glorious sport, and wanted to organize a party togo in pursuit of them, but I induced him to give up this idea, althoughhe did so rather reluctantly. The Doctor soon became quite an experthunter, and before he had remained on the prairie a year there were butfew men in the country who could kill more buffaloes on a hunt than he. 

Being aware that Rose and myself felt rather downhearted over ourdeserted village, the Doctor one day said that, as he had made theproprietors of Rome "howl, " he would give us two lots each in Hays, anddid so. We finally came to the conclusion that our old town was deadbeyond redemption or revival, and we thereupon devoted our undividedattention to our railroad contract. One day we were pushed for horses towork on our scrapers--so I hitched up Brigham, to see how he would work. He was not much used to that kind of labor, and I was about giving up theidea of making a work-horse of him, when one of the men called to me thatthere were some buffaloes coming over the hill. As there had been nobuffaloes seen anywhere in the vicinity of the camp for several days, wehad become rather short of meat. I immediately told one of our men tohitch his horses to a wagon and follow me, as I was going out after theherd, and we would bring back some fresh meat for supper. I had nosaddle, as mine had been left at the camp a mile distant, so taking theharness from Brigham, I mounted him bareback and started out after thegame, being armed with my celebrated buffalo-killer, "LucretiaBorgia, "--a newly-improved breech-loading needle gun, which I hadobtained from the government. 

While I was riding toward the buffaloes I observed five horsemen comingout from the fort, who had evidently seen the buffaloes from the post, and were going out for a chase. They proved to be some newly-arrivedofficers in that part of the country, and when they came up closer, Icould see by the shoulder straps that the senior officer was a captain, while the others were lieutenants. 

"Hello! may friend, " sang out the captain, "I see you are after the samegame we are. "

"Yes, sir; I saw those buffaloes coming over the hill, and as we wereabout out of fresh meat I thought I would go and get some, " said I. 

They scanned my cheap-looking outfit pretty closely, and as my horse wasnot very prepossessing in appearance, having on only a blind bridle, andotherwise looking like a work-horse they evidently considered me a greenhand at hunting. 

"Do you expect to catch those buffaloes on that Gothic steed?" laughinglyasked the captain. 

"I hope so, by pushing on the reins hard enough, " was my reply. 

"You'll never catch them in the world, my fine fellow, " said the captain. "It requires a fast horse to overtake the animals on these prairies. "

"Does it?" asked I as if I didn't know it. 

"Yes; but come along with us as we are going to kill them more forpleasure than anything else. All we want are the tongues and a piece oftender loin, and you may have all that is left, " said the generous man. 

"I am much obliged to you, Captain, and will follow you, " I replied. There were eleven buffaloes in the herd and they were not more than amile from us. The officers dashed ahead as if they had a sure thing onkilling them all before I could come up with them; but I had noticed thatthe herd was making towards the creek for water, and as I knew buffalonature, I was perfectly aware that it would be difficult to turn themfrom their direct course. Thereupon, I started towards the creek to headthem off, while the officers came up in the rear and gave chase. 

The buffaloes came rushing past me not a hundred yards distant, with theofficers about three hundred yards in the rear. Now, thought I, is thetime to "get my work in, " as they say; and I pulled the blind-bridle frommy horse, who knew as well as I did that we were out for buffaloes--as hewas a trained hunter. The moment the bridle was off, he started at thetop of his speed, running in ahead of the officers, and with a few jumpshe brought me alongside of the rear buffalo. Raising old "LucretiaBorgia" to my shoulder, I fired, and killed the animal at the first shot. My horse then carried me alongside the next one, not ten feet away, and Idropped him at the next fire. 

As soon as one buffalo would fall, Brigham would take me so close to thenext, that I could almost touch it with my gun. In this manner I killedthe eleven buffaloes with twelve shots; and, as the last animal dropped, my horse stopped. I jumped to the ground, knowing that he would not leaveme--it must be remembered that I had been riding him without bridle, reins or saddle--and turning round as the party of astonished officersrode up, I said to them:

"Now, gentlemen, allow me to present to you all the tongues andtender-loins you wish from these buffaloes. "

[Illustration: TONGUES AND TENDER LOINS. ]

Captain Graham, for such I soon learned was his name, replied: "Well, Inever saw the like before. Who under the sun are you, anyhow?"

"My name is Cody, " said I. 

One of the lieutenants, Thompson by name, who had met me at Fort Harker, then recognized me, and said: "Why, that is Bill Cody, our old scout. " Hethen introduced me to the other officers, who were Captain Graham, of theTenth Cavalry, and Lieutenants Reed, Emmick and Ezekiel. 

Captain Graham, who was considerable of a horseman, greatly admiredBrigham, and said: "That horse of yours has running points. "

"Yes, sir; he has not only got the points, he is a runner and knows howto use the points, " said I. 

"So I noticed, " said the captain. 

They all finally dismounted, and we continued chatting for some littletime upon the different subjects of horses, buffaloes, Indians andhunting. They felt a little sore at not getting a single shot at thebuffaloes, but the way I had killed them had, they said, amply repaidthem for their disappointment. They had read of such feats in books, butthis was the first time they had ever seen anything of the kind withtheir own eyes. It was the first time, also, that they had ever witnessedor heard of a white man running buffaloes on horseback without a saddleor a bridle. 

I told them that Brigham knew nearly as much about the business as I did, and if I had had twenty bridles they would have been of no use to me, ashe understood everything, and all that he expected of me was to do theshooting. It is a fact, that Brigham would stop if a buffalo did not fallat the first fire, so as to give me a second chance, but if I did notkill the buffalo then, he would go on, as if to say, "You are no good, and I will not fool away time by giving you more than two shots. " Brighamwas the best horse I ever owned or saw for buffalo chasing. 

Our conversation was interrupted in a little while by the arrival of thewagon which I had ordered out; I loaded the hind-quarters of the youngestbuffaloes on it, and then cut out the tongues and tender loins, andpresented them to the officers, after which I rode towards the fort withthem, while the wagon returned to camp. 

Captain Graham told me that he expected to be stationed at Fort Haysduring the summer, and would probably be sent out on a scoutingexpedition, and in case he was he would like to have me accompany him asscout and guide. I replied that notwithstanding I was very busy with myrailroad contract I would go with him if he was ordered out. I then leftthe officers and returned to our camp. 

That very night the Indians unexpectedly made a raid on the horses, andran off five or six of our very best work-teams, leaving us in a verycrippled condition. At daylight I jumped on old Brigham and rode to FortHays, when I reported the affair to the commanding officer; CaptainGraham and Lieutenant Emmick were at once ordered out with their companyof one hundred colored troops, to pursue the Indians and recover ourstock if possible. In an hour we were under way. The darkies had neverbeen in an Indian fight and were anxious to catch the band we were afterand "Sweep de red debels from off de face ob de earth. " Captain Grahamwas a brave, dashing officer, eager to make a record for himself, and itwas with difficulty that I could trail fast enough to keep out of the wayof the impatient soldiers. Every few moments Captain Graham would ride upto see if the trail was freshening and how soon we should be likely toovertake the thieves. 

At last we reached the Saline river, where we found the Indians had onlystopped to feed and water the animals, and had then pushed on towards theSolomon. After crossing the Saline they made no effort to conceal theirtrail, thinking they would not be pursued beyond that point--consequentlywe were able to make excellent time. We reached the Soloman beforesunset, and came to a halt; we surmised that if the Indians were campedon this river, that they had no suspicion of our being in theneighborhood. I advised Captain Graham to remain with the company whereit was, while I went ahead on a scout to find the Indians, if they werein the vicinity. 

After riding some distance down the ravine that led to the river, I leftmy horse at the foot of a hill; then, creeping to the top, I lookedcautiously over the summit upon the Solomon, below. I at once discoveredin plain view, not a mile away, a herd of horses grazing, our lost onesamong them; very shortly I made out the Indian camp, noted its lay, andhow we could best approach it. Reporting to Captain Graham, whose eyesfairly danced with delight at the prospect of surprising and whippingthe redskins, we concluded to wait until the moon rose, then get intothe timber so as to approach the Indians as closely as possible withoutbeing discovered, and finally to make a sudden dash into their camp, andclean them out. We had everything "cut and dried, " as we thought, but, alas! just as we were nearing the point where we were to take the openground and make our charge, one of the colored gentlemen became soexcited that he fired off his gun. We immediately commenced the charge, but the firing of the gun and the noise of our rush through thecrackling timber alarmed the Indians, who at once sprang to theirhorses and were away from us before we reached their late camp. CaptainGraham called out "Follow me boys!" which we did for awhile, but in thedarkness the Indians made good their escape. The bugle then gave there-call, but some of the darkies did not get back until morning, having, in their fright, allowed their horses to run away with them whithersoeverit suited the animal's pleasure to go. 

[Illustration: THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES. ]

We followed the trail the next day for awhile, but as it become evidentthat it would be a long chase to overtake the enemy, and as we hadrations only for the day, we commenced the return. Captain Graham wasbitterly disappointed in not being able to get the fight when it seemedso near at one time. He roundly cursed the "nigger" who fired the gun, and as a punishment for his carelessness, he was compelled to walk allthe way back to Fort Hays. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

EARNING A TITLE. 

It was about this time that the end of the Kansas Pacific track was inthe heart of the buffalo country, and the company was employing abouttwelve hundred men in the construction of the road. As the Indians werevery troublesome, it was difficult to obtain fresh meat for the workmen, and the company therefore concluded to engage the services of hunters tokill buffaloes. Having heard of my experience and success as a buffalohunter, Messrs. Goddard Brothers, who had the contract for boarding theemployees of the road, met me in Hays City one day and made me a goodoffer to become their hunter, and I at once entered into a contract withthem. They said that they would require about twelve buffaloes per day;that would be twenty-four hams, as we took only the hind-quarters andhump of each buffalo. As this was to be dangerous work, on account of theIndians, who were riding all over that section of the country, and as Iwould be obliged to go from five to ten miles from the road each day tohunt the buffaloes, accompanied by only one man with a light wagon forthe transportation of the meat, I of course demanded a large salary. Theycould afford to remunerate me well, because the meat would not cost themanything. They agreed to give me five hundred dollars per month, providedI furnished them all the fresh meat required. 

Leaving my partner, Rose, to complete our grading contract, I immediatelybegan my career as a buffalo hunter for the Kansas Pacific Railroad, andit was not long before I acquired considerable notoriety. It was at thistime that the very appropriate name of "Buffalo Bill, " was conferred uponme by the road-hands. It has stuck to me ever since, and I have neverbeen ashamed of it. 

During my engagement as hunter for the company--a period of less thaneighteen mouths--I killed 4, 280 buffaloes; and I had many excitingadventures with the Indians, as well as hair-breadth escapes, some ofwhich are well worth relating. 

One day in the spring of 1868, I mounted Brigham and started for SmokyHill River. After galloping about twenty miles I reached the top of asmall hill overlooking the valley of that beautiful stream. 

As I was gazing on the landscape, I suddenly saw a band of about thirtyIndians nearly half a mile distant; I knew by the way they jumped ontheir horses that they had seen me as soon as I came into sight. 

The only chance I had for my life was to make a run for it, and Iimmediately wheeled and started back towards the railroad. Brigham seemedto understand what was up, and he struck out as if he comprehended thatit was to be a run for life. He crossed a ravine in a few jumps, and onreaching a ridge beyond, I drew rein, looked back and saw the Indianscoming for me at full speed and evidently well-mounted. I would have hadlittle or no fear of being overtaken if Brigham had been fresh; but as hewas not, I felt uncertain as to how he would stand a long chase. 

[Illustration: BUFFALO BILL. ]

My pursuers seemed to be gaining on me a little, and I let Brigham shootahead again; when we had run about three miles farther, some eight ornine of the Indians were not over two hundred yards behind, and five orsix of these seemed to be shortening the gap at every jump. Brigham nowexerted himself more than ever, and for the next three or four miles hegot "right down to business, " and did some of the prettiest running Iever saw. But the Indians were about as well-mounted as I was, and one oftheir horses in particular--a spotted animal--was gaining on me all thetime. Nearly all the other horses were strung out behind for a distanceof two miles, but still chasing after me. 

[Illustration: DOWN WENT HIS HORSE. ]

The Indian who was riding the spotted horse was armed with a rifle, andwould occasionally send a bullet whistling along, sometimes striking theground ahead of me. I saw that this fellow must be checked, or a straybullet from his gun might hit me or my horse; so, suddenly stoppingBrigham, and quickly wheeling him around, I raised old "Lucretia" to myshoulder, took deliberate aim at the Indian and his horse, hoping to hitone or the other, and fired. He was not over eighty yards from me at thistime, and at the crack of my rifle down went his horse. Not waiting tosee if he recovered, I turned Brigham, and in a moment we were againfairly flying towards our destination; we had urgent business about thattime, and were in a hurry to get there. 

The other Indians had gained on us while I was engaged in shooting attheir leader, and they sent several shots whizzing past me, butfortunately none of them hit the intended mark. To return theircompliment I occasionally wheeled myself in the saddle and fired back atthem, and one of my shots broke the leg of one of their horses, whichleft its rider _hors(e) de combat_, as the French would say. 

Only seven or eight Indians now remained in dangerous proximity to me, and as their horses were beginning to lag somewhat, I checked my faithfulold steed a little, to allow him an opportunity to draw an extra breathor two. I had determined, if it should come to the worst, to drop into abuffalo wallow, where I could stand the Indians off for a while; but Iwas not compelled to do this, as Brigham carried me through most nobly. 

The chase was kept up until we came within three miles of the end of therailroad track, where two companies of soldiers were stationed for thepurpose of protecting the workmen from the Indians. One of the outpostssaw the Indians chasing me across the prairie, and gave the alarm. In afew minutes I saw, greatly to my delight, men coming on foot, andcavalrymen, too, came galloping to our rescue as soon as they could mounttheir horses. When the Indians observed this, they turned and ran in thedirection from which they had come. In a very few minutes I was met bysome of the infantrymen and trackmen, and jumping to the ground andpulling the blanket and saddle off of Brigham, I told them what he haddone for me; they at once took him in charge, led him around, and rubbedhim down so vigorously that I thought they would rub him to death. 

Captain Nolan, of the Tenth Cavalry, now came up with forty of his men, and upon learning what had happened he determined to pursue the Indians. He kindly offered me one of the cavalry horses, and after putting my ownsaddle and bridle on the animal, we started out after the flying Indians, who only a few minutes before had been making it so uncomfortably livelyfor me. Our horses were all fresh and of excellent stock, and we soonbegan shortening the distance between ourselves and the redskins. Beforethey had gone five miles we overtook and killed eight of their number. The others succeeded in making their escape. On coming up to the placewhere I had killed the first horse--the spotted one--on my "home run, " Ifound that my bullet had struck him in the forehead and killed himinstantly. He was a noble animal, and ought to have been engaged inbetter business. 

When we got back to camp I found old Brigham grazing quietly andcontentedly on the grass. He looked up at me as if to ask if we had gotaway with any of those fellows who had chased us. I believe he read theanswer in my eyes. 

Another very exciting hunting adventure of mine which deserves a place inthese reminiscences occurred near Saline river. My companion at the timewas a man called Scotty, a butcher, who generally accompanied me on thesehunting expeditions to cut up the buffaloes and load the meat into alight wagon which he brought to carry it in. He was a brave little fellowand a most excellent shot. I had killed some fifteen buffaloes, and wehad started for home with a wagon-load of meat. When within about eightmiles of our destination, we suddenly ran on to a party of at leastthirty Indians who came riding out of the head of a ravine. 

On this occasion I was mounted on a most excellent horse belonging to therailroad company, and could easily have made my escape; but of course Icould not leave Scotty who was driving a pair of mules hitched to thewagon. To think was to act, in those days; and as Scotty and I had oftentalked over a plan of defense in case we were ever surprised by Indians, we instantly proceeded to carry it out. We jumped to the ground, unhitched the mules quicker than it had ever been done before, and tiedthem and my horse to the wagon. We threw the buffalo hams upon theground, and piled them around the wheels in such a shape as to form abreastwork. All this was done in a shorter time than it takes to tell it;and then, with our extra box of ammunition and three or four extrarevolvers, which we always carried along with us, we crept under thewagon and were fully prepared to give our visitors the warmest kind of areception. 

The Indians came on pell-mell, but when they were within one hundredyards of us we opened such a sudden and galling fire upon them, that theyheld up and began to circle around the wagon instead of riding up totake tea with us. They however charged back and forth upon us severaltimes, and their shots killed the two mules and my horse; but we gave itto them right and left, and had the satisfaction of seeing three of themfall to the ground not more than fifty yards away. On seeing how well wewere fortified and protected by our breastwork of hams, they probablycame to the conclusion that it would be a difficult undertaking todislodge us, for they drew off and gave us a rest, but only a short one. 

This was the kind of fighting we had been expecting for a long time, aswe knew that sooner or later we would be "jumped" by Indians while wewere out buffalo hunting. I had an understanding with the officers whocommanded the troops at the end of the track, that in case their picketsshould at any time notice a smoke in the direction of our hunting ground, they were to give the alarm, so that assistance might be sent to us forthe smoke was to indicate that we were in danger. 

I now resolved to signal to the troops in the manner agreed on, and atthe first opportunity set fire to the grass on the windward side of thewagon. The fire spread over the prairie at a rapid rate, causing a densesmoke which I knew would be seen at the camp. The Indians did not seem tounderstand this strategic movement. They got off from their horses, andfrom behind a bank or knoll, again peppered away at us; but we were wellfortified, and whenever they showed their heads we let them know that wecould shoot as well as they. 

[Illustration: THE FIRE SIGNAL. ]

After we had been cooped up in our little fort, for about an hour, wediscovered cavalry coming toward us at full gallop over the prairie. Oursignal of distress had proved a success. The Indians saw the soldiers atabout the same time that we did, and thinking that it would not behealthy for them to remain much longer in that vicinity, they mountedtheir horses and disappeared down the cañons of the creek. When thesoldiers came up we had the satisfaction of showing them five "_good_"Indians, that is dead ones. 

Two hours later we pulled into camp with our load of meat, which wasfound to be all right, except that it had a few bullets and arrowssticking in it. 

While I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific railway, I had the pleasure, in the fall of 1867, of meeting the celebrated Kit Carson, one of, if notthe oldest and most noted scout, guide, and hunter that our westerncountry has ever produced. He was on his way to Washington. I also methim on his return from the East, and invited him to be my guest for a fewdays at Hays City, which invitation he accepted. He then proceeded toFort Lyon, Colorado, near which place his son-in-law, Mr. Boggs, andfamily, resided. At this time his health was failing, and shortlyafterwards he died at Mr. Boggs' residence on the Picket Wire Creek. 

[Illustration: KIT CARSON]

CHAPTER XV. 

CHAMPION BUFFALO KILLER. 

Shortly after the adventures mentioned in the preceding chapter, I had mycelebrated buffalo hunt with Billy Comstock, a noted scout, guide andinterpreter, who was then chief of scouts at Fort Wallace, Kansas. Comstock had the reputation, for a long time, of being a most successfulbuffalo hunter, and the officers in particular, who had seen him killbuffaloes, were very desirous of backing him in a match against me. Itwas accordingly arranged that I should shoot him a buffalo-killing match, and the preliminaries were easily and satisfactorily agreed upon. We wereto hunt one day of eight hours, beginning at eight o'clock in themorning, and closing at four o'clock in the afternoon. The wager was fivehundred dollars a side, and the man who should kill the greater number ofbuffaloes from on horseback was to be declared the winner. 

The hunt took place about twenty miles east of Sheridan, and as it hadbeen pretty well advertised and noised abroad, a large crowd witnessedthe interesting and exciting scene. An excursion party, mostly from St. Louis, consisting of about a hundred gentlemen and ladies, came out on aspecial train to view the sport, and among the number was my wife, withlittle baby Arta, who had come to remain with me for a while. 

The buffaloes were quite plenty, and it was agreed that we should go intothe same herd at the same time and "make a run, " as we called it, eachone killing as many as possible. A referee was to follow each of us onhorseback when we entered the herd, and count the buffaloes killed byeach man. The St. Louis excursionists, as well as the other spectators, rode out to the vicinity of the hunting grounds in wagons and onhorseback, keeping well out of sight of the buffaloes, so as not tofrighten them, until the time came for us to dash into the herd; whenthey were to come up as near as they pleased and witness the chase. 

We were fortunate in the first run in getting good ground. Comstock wasmounted on one of his favorite horses, while I rode old Brigham. I feltconfident that I had the advantage of Comstock in two things--first, Ihad the best buffalo horse that ever made a track; and second, I wasusing what was known at that time as the needle-gun, a breech-loadingSpringfield rifle--calibre 50, --it was my favorite old "Lucretia, " whichhas already been introduced to the notice of the reader; while Comstockwas armed with a Henry rifle, and although he could fire a few shotsquicker than I could, yet I was pretty certain that it did not carrypowder and lead enough to do execution equal to my calibre 50. 

At last the time came to begin the match. Comstock and I dashed into aherd, followed by the referees. The buffaloes separated; Comstock tookthe left bunch and I the right. My great _forte_ in killing buffaloesfrom horseback was to get them circling by riding my horse at the head ofthe herd, shooting the leaders, thus crowding their followers to theleft, till they would finally circle round and round. 

On this morning the buffaloes were very accommodating, and I soon hadthem running in a beautiful circle, when I dropped them thick and fast, until I had killed thirty-eight; which finished my run. 

Comstock began shooting at the rear of the herd, which he was chasing, and they kept straight on. He succeeded, however, in killingtwenty-three, but they were scattered over a distance of three miles, while mine lay close together. I had "nursed" my buffaloes, as abilliard-player does the balls when he makes a big run. 

After the result of the first run had been duly announced, our St. Louisexcursion friends--who had approached to the place where we hadstopped--set out a lot of champagne, which they had brought with them, and which proved a good drink on a Kansas prairie, and a buffalo hunterwas a good man to get away with it. 

While taking a short rest, we suddenly spied another herd of buffaloescoming toward us. It was only a small drove, and we at once prepared togive the animals a lively reception. They proved to be a herd of cows andcalves--which, by the way, are quicker in their movements than the bulls. We charged in among them, and I concluded my run with a score ofeighteen, while Comstock killed fourteen. The score now stood fifty-sixto thirty-seven, in my favor. 

Again the excursion party approached, and once more the champagne wastapped. After we had eaten a lunch which was spread for us, we resumedthe hunt. Striking out for a distance of three miles, we came up close toanother herd. As I was so far ahead of my competitor in the numberkilled, I thought I could afford to give an extra exhibition of my skill. I had told the ladies that I would, on the next run, ride my horsewithout saddle or bridle. This had raised the excitement to fever heatamong the excursionists, and I remember one fair lady who endeavored toprevail upon me not to attempt it. 

"That's nothing at all, " said I; "I have done it many a time, and oldBrigham knows as well as I what I am doing, and sometimes a greatdeal better. "

So, leaving my saddle and bridle with the wagons, we rode to the windwardof the buffaloes, as usual, and when within a few hundred yards of themwe dashed into the herd. I soon had thirteen laid out on the ground, thelast one of which I had driven down close to the wagons, where the ladieswere. It frightened some of the tender creatures to see the buffalocoming at full speed directly toward them; but when he had got withinfifty yards of one of the wagons, I shot him dead in his tracks. Thismade my sixty-ninth buffalo, and finished my third and last run, Comstockhaving killed forty-six. 

As it was now late in the afternoon, Comstock and his backers gave upthe idea that he could beat me, and thereupon the referees declared methe winner of the match, as well as the champion buffalo-hunter of theplains. [A]

[Footnote A: Poor Billy Comstock was afterwards treacherously murdered bythe Indians. He and Sharpe Grover visited a village of Indians, supposedto be peaceably inclined, near Big Spring Station, in Western Kansas; andafter spending several hours with the redskins in friendly conversation, they prepared to depart, having declined an invitation to pass the nightthere. It appears that Comstock's beautiful white-handled revolver hadattracted the attention of the Indians, who overtook him and hiscompanion when they had gone about half a mile. After surrounding the twomen they suddenly attacked them. They killed, scalped and robbedComstock; but Grover, although severely wounded, made his escape, owingto the fleetness of the excellent horse which he was riding. This sadevent occurred August 27, 1868. ]

On our way back to camp, we took with us some of the choice meat andfinest heads. In this connection it will not be out of place to statethat during the time I was hunting for the Kansas Pacific, I alwaysbrought into camp the best buffalo heads, and turned them over to thecompany, who found a very good use for them. They had them mounted in thebest possible manner, and sent them to all the principal cities andrailroad centers in the country, having them placed in prominentpositions at the leading hotels, dépôts, and other public buildings, as asort of trade-mark, or advertisement, of the Kansas Pacific Railroad; andto-day they attract the attention of the traveler almost everywhere. Whenever I am traveling over the country and see one of thesetrade-marks, I feel pretty certain that I was the cause of the death ofthe old fellow whose body it once ornamented, and many a wild andexciting hunt is thus called to mind. 

The end of the track finally reached Sheridan, in the month of May, 1868, and as the road was not to be built any farther just then, my services asa hunter were not any longer required. At this time there was a generalIndian war raging all along the western borders. General Sheridan hadtaken up his headquarters at Fort Hayes, in order to be in the field tosuperintend the campaign in person. As scouts and guides were in greatdemand, I concluded once more to take up my old avocation of scoutingand guiding for the army. 

Having no suitable place in which to leave my old and faithfulbuffalo-hunter Brigham, and not wishing to kill him by scouting, Idetermined to dispose of him. I was very reluctant to part with him, butI consoled myself with the thought that he would not be likely to receiveharder usage in other hands than he had in mine. I had several goodoffers to sell him; but at the suggestion of some gentlemen in Sheridan, all of whom were anxious to obtain possession of the horse, I put him upat a raffle, in order to give them all an equal chance of becoming theowner of the famous steed. There were ten chances at thirty dollars each, and they were all quickly taken. 

Old Brigham was won by a gentleman--Mr. Ike Bonham, --who took him toWyandotte, Kansas, where he soon added new laurels to his alreadybrilliant record. Although I am getting ahead of my story, I must nowfollow Brigham for a while. A grand tournament came off four miles fromWyandotte, and Brigham took part in it. As has already been stated, hisappearance was not very prepossessing, and nobody suspected him of beinganything but the most ordinary kind of a plug. The friends of the riderlaughed at him for being mounted on such a dizzy-looking steed. When theexercises--which were of a very tame character, being more for style thanspeed--were over, and just as the crowd were about to return to the city, a purse of $250 was made up, to be given to the horse that could firstreach Wyandotte, four miles distant. The arrangement was carried out, andBrigham was entered as one of the contestants for the purse. Everybodylaughed at Mr. Bonham when it became known that he was to ride thatpoky-looking plug against the five thoroughbreds which were to take partin the race. 

When all the preliminaries had been arranged, the signal was given, andoff went the horses for Wyandotte. For the first half-mile several ofthe horses led Brigham, but on the second mile he began passing them oneafter the other, and on the third mile he was in advance of them all, andwas showing them all the road at a lively rate. On the fourth mile hisrider let him out, and arrived at the hotel--the home-station--inWyandotte a long way ahead of his fastest competitor. 

Everybody was surprised, as well as disgusted, that such a homely"critter" should be the winner. Brigham, of course, had already acquireda wide reputation, and his name and exploits had often appeared in thenewspapers, and when it was learned that this "critter" was none otherthan the identical buffalo-hunting Brigham, nearly the whole crowdadmitted that they had heard of him before, and had they known him in thefirst place they certainly would have ruled him out. 

I finally lost track of Brigham, and for several years I did not knowwhat had become of him. Three years ago, while I was at Memphis, Tennessee, I met a Mr. Wilcox, who had been one of the superintendents ofconstruction of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and he informed me that heowned Brigham, and that he was at that time on his farm, only a few milesout of town. The next day I rode out with Mr. Wilcox and took a look atthe gallant old horse. He was comfortably cared for in Mr. Wilcox'sstable, and looked the same clever pony that he always was. It seemed asif he almost remembered me, and I put my arms around his neck, as thoughhe had been a long-lost child. Mr. Wilcox bought the horse at Wyandotte, from the gentleman who had won him at the raffle, and he intends to keephim as long as he lives. I am grateful that he is in such good hands, andwhenever I again visit Memphis I shall surely go and see Brigham if he isstill alive. 

But to return to the thread of my narrative, from which I have wandered. Having received the appointment of guide and scout, and having beenordered to report at Fort Larned, then commanded by Captain DangerfieldParker, I saw it was necessary to take my family--who had remained withme at Sheridan, after the buffalo-hunting match--to Leavenworth, andthere leave them. This I did at once, and after providing them with acomfortable little home, I returned and reported for duty at Fort Larned. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

A COURIER. 

The scouts at Fort Larned, when I arrived there, were commanded by DickCurtis--an old guide, frontiersman and Indian interpreter. There weresome three hundred lodges of Kiowa and Comanche Indians camped near thefort. These Indians had not as yet gone upon the war-path, but wererestless and discontented, and their leading chiefs, Satanta, Lone Wolf, Kicking Bird, Satank, Sittamore, and other noted warriors, were rathersaucy. The post at the time was garrisoned by only two companies ofinfantry and one of cavalry. 

General Hazen, who was at the post, was endeavoring to pacify the Indiansand keep them from going on the war-path. I was appointed as his specialscout, and one morning he notified me that he was going to Fort Harker, and wished me to accompany him as far as Fort Zarah, thirty milesdistant. The General usually traveled in an ambulance, but this trip hewas to make in a six-mule wagon, under the escort of a squad of twentyinfantrymen. So, early one morning in August, we started; arriving safelyat Fort Zarah at twelve o'clock. General Hazen thought it unnecessarythat we should go farther, and he proceeded on his way to Fort Harkerwithout an escort, leaving instructions that we should return to FortLarned the next day. 

After the General had gone I went to the sergeant in command of thesquad, and told him that I was going back that very afternoon, instead ofwaiting till the next morning; and I accordingly saddled up my mule andset out for Fort Larned. I proceeded uninterruptedly until I got abouthalf-way between the two posts, when at Pawnee Rock I was suddenly"jumped" by about forty Indians, who came dashing up to me, extendingtheir hands and saying, "How! How!" They were some of the same Indianswho had been hanging around Fort Larned in the morning. I saw that theyhad on their war-paint, and were evidently now out on the war-path. 

[Illustration: A BIG JOKE. ]

My first impulse was to shake hands with them, as they seemed so desirousof it. I accordingly reached out my hand to one of them, who grasped itwith a tight grip, and jerked me violently forward; another pulled mymule by the bridle, and in a moment I was completely surrounded. Before Icould do anything at all, they had seized my revolvers from the holsters, and I received a blow on the head from a tomahawk which nearly renderedme senseless. My gun, which was lying across the saddle, was snatchedfrom its place, and finally the Indian, who had hold of the bridle, started off towards the Arkansas River, leading the mule, which was beinglashed by the other Indians who were following. 

The savages were all singing, yelling and whooping, as only Indians cando, when they are having their little game all their own way. Whilelooking towards the river I saw, on the opposite side, an immense villagemoving down along the bank, and then I became convinced that the Indianshad left the post and were now starting out on the war-path. My captorscrossed the stream with me, and as we waded through the shallow waterthey continued to lash the mule and myself. Finally they brought mebefore an important looking body of Indians, who proved to be the chiefsand principal warriors. I soon recognized old Satanta among them, as wellas others whom I knew, and I supposed it was all over with me. 

The Indians were jabbering away so rapidly among themselves that I couldnot understand what they were saying. Satanta at last asked me where Ihad been; and, as good luck would have it, a happy thought struck me. Itold him I had been after a herd of cattle or "whoa-haws, " as they calledthem. It so happened that the Indians had been out of meat for severalweeks, as the large herd of cattle which had been promised them had notyet arrived, although expected by them. 

The moment that I mentioned that I had been searching for the"whoa-haws, " old Satanta began questioning me in a very eager manner. Heasked me where the cattle were, and I replied that they were back only afew miles, and that I had been sent by General Hazen to inform him thatthe cattle were coming, and that they were intended for his people. Thisseemed to please the old rascal, who also wanted to know if there wereany soldiers with the herd, and my reply was that there were. Thereuponthe chiefs held a consultation, and presently Satanta asked me if GeneralHazen had really said that they should have the cattle. I replied in theaffirmative, and added that I had been directed to bring the cattle tothem. I followed this up with a very dignified inquiry, asking why hisyoung men had treated me so. The old wretch intimated that it was only "afreak of the boys"; that the young men had wanted to see if I was brave;in fact, they had only meant to test my bravery, and that the whole thingwas a joke. 

The veteran liar was now beating me at my own game of lying; but I wasvery glad of it, as it was in my favor. I did not let him suspect that Idoubted his veracity, but I remarked that it was a rough way to treatfriends. He immediately ordered his young men to give me back my arms, and scolded them for what they had done. Of course, the sly old dog wasnow playing it very fine, as he was anxious to get possession of thecattle, with which he believed "there was a heap of soldiers coming. " Hehad concluded it was not best to fight the soldiers if he could get thecattle peaceably. 

Another council was held by the chiefs, and in a few minutes old Satantacame and asked me if I would go over and bring the cattle down to theopposite side of the river, so that they could get them. I replied, "Ofcourse; that's my instruction from General Hazen. "

Satanta said I must not feel angry at his young men, for they had onlybeen acting in fun. He then inquired if I wished any of his men toaccompany me to the cattle herd. I replied that it would be better for meto go alone, and then the soldiers could keep right on to Fort Larned, while I could drive the herd down on the bottom. So, wheeling my mulearound, I was soon re-crossing the river, leaving old Satanta in thefirm belief that I had told him a straight story, and was going for thecattle, which only existed in my imagination. 

I hardly knew what to do, but thought that if I could get the riverbetween the Indians and myself I would have a good three-quarters of amile the start of them, and could then make a run for Fort Larned, as mymule was a good one. 

Thus far my cattle story had panned out all right; but just as I reachedthe opposite bank of the river, I looked behind and saw that ten orfifteen Indians who had begun to suspect something crooked, werefollowing me. The moment that my mule secured a good foothold on thebank, I urged him into a gentle lope towards the place where, accordingto my statement, the cattle were to be brought. Upon reaching a littleridge, and riding down the other side out of view, I turned my mule andheaded him westward for Fort Larned. I let him out for all that he wasworth, and when I came out on a little rise of ground, I looked back, andsaw the Indian village in plain sight. My pursuers were now on the ridgewhich I had passed over, and were looking for me in every direction. 

Presently they spied me, and seeing that I was running away, they struckout in swift pursuit, and in a few minutes it became painfully evidentthat they were gaining on me. They kept up the chase as far as Ash Creek, six miles from Fort Larned. I still led them half a mile, as their horseshad not gained much during the last half of the race. My mule seemed tohave gotten his second wind, and as I was on the old road I had playedthe whip and spurs on him without much cessation. The Indians likewisehad urged their steeds to the utmost. 

Finally, upon reaching the dividing ridge between Ash Greek and PawneeFork, I saw Fort Larned only four miles away. It was now sundown, and Iheard the evening gun at the fort. The troops of the garrison littledreamed that there was a man flying for his life from the Indians andtrying to reach the post. The Indians were once more gaining on me, andwhen I crossed the Pawnee Fork, two miles from the post, two or three ofthem were only a quarter of a mile behind me. Just as I had gained theopposite bank of the stream I was overjoyed to see some soldiers in agovernment wagon, only a short distance off. I yelled at the top of myvoice, and riding up to them, told them that the Indians were after me. 

[Illustration: AMBUSHING THE INDIANS. ]

Denver Jim, a well-known scout, asked how many there were, and upon myinforming him that there were about a dozen, he said: "Let's drive thewagon into the trees, and we'll lay for 'em. " The team was hurriedlydriven in among the trees and low box-elder bushes, and there secreted. 

We did not have to wait long for the Indians, who came dashing up, lashing their horses, which were panting and blowing. We let two of thempass by, but we opened a lively fire on the next three or four, killingtwo at the first crack. The others following, discovered that they hadrun into an ambush, and whirling off into the brush they turned and ranback in the direction whence they had come. The two who had passed heardthe firing and made their escape. We scalped the two that we had killed, and appropriated their arms and equipments; and then catching theirhorses, we made our way into the post. The soldiers had heard us firing, and as we were approaching the fort the drums were being beaten, and thebuglers were sounding the call to fall in. The officers had thought thatSatanta and his Indians were coming in to capture the fort. 

It seems that on the morning of that day, two hours after General Hazenhad taken his departure, old Satanta drove into the post in an ambulance, which he had received some months before as a present from thegovernment. He appeared to be angry and bent on mischief. In an interviewwith Captain Parker, the commanding officer, he asked why General Hazenhad left the post without supplying the beef cattle which had beenpromised to him. The Captain told him that the cattle were surely on theroad, but he could not explain why they were detained. 

The interview proved to be a stormy one, and Satanta made numerousthreats, saying that if he wished, he could capture the whole post withhis warriors. Captain Parker, who was a brave man, gave Satanta tounderstand that he was reckoning beyond his powers, and would find it amore difficult undertaking than he had any idea of, as they were preparedfor him at any moment. The interview finally terminated, and Satantaangrily left the officers presence. Going over to the sutler's store hesold his ambulance to Mr. Tappan the past trader, and with a portion ofthe proceeds he secretly managed to secure some whisky from some bad menaround the fort. There are always to be found around every frontier postsome men who will sell whisky to the Indians at any time and under anycircumstances, notwithstanding it is a flagrant violation of both civiland military regulations. 

Satanta mounted his horse, and taking the whisky with him, he roderapidly away and proceeded straight to his village. He had not been goneover an hour, when he returned to the vicinity of the post accompaniedby his warriors who came in from every direction, to the number of sevenor eight hundred. It was evident that the irate old rascal was "on hisear, " so to speak, and it looked as if he intended to carry out histhreat of capturing the fort. The garrison at once turned out andprepared to receive the red-skins, who, when within half a mile, circledaround the fort and fired numerous shots into it, instead of trying totake it by assault. 

While this circular movement was going on, it was observed that theIndian village in the distance was packing up, preparatory to leaving, and it was soon under way. The mounted warriors remained behind somelittle time, to give their families an opportunity to get away, as theyfeared that the troops might possibly in some manner intercept them. Finally, they encircled the post several times, fired some farewellrounds, and then galloped away over the prairie to overtake their fastdeparting village. On their way thither, they surprised and killed aparty of wood-choppers down on the Pawnee Fork, as well as some herderswho were guarding beef cattle; some seven or eight men in all, werekilled, and it was evident that the Indians meant business. 

The soldiers with the wagon--whom I had met at the crossing of the PawneeFork--had been out for the bodies of the men. Under the circumstances itwas no wonder that the garrison, upon hearing the reports of our gunswhen we fired upon the party whom we ambushed, should have thought theIndians were coming back to give them another "turn. "

We found that all was excitement at the post; double guards had been puton duty, and Captain Parker had all the scouts at his headquarters. Hewas endeavoring to get some one to take some important dispatches toGeneral Sheridan at Fort Hays. I reported to him at once, and statedwhere I had met the Indians and how I had escaped from them. 

"You was very fortunate, Cody, in thinking of that cattle story; butfor that little game your hair would now be an ornament to a Kiowa'slodge, " said he. 

Just then Dick Curtis spoke up and said: "Cody, the Captain is anxiousto send some dispatches to General Sheridan, at Fort Hays, and none ofthe scouts here seem to be very willing to undertake the trip. Theysay they are not well enough acquainted with the country to find theway at night. "

As a storm was coming up it was quite dark, and the scouts feared thatthey would lose the way; besides it was a dangerous ride, as a largeparty of Indians were known to be camped on Walnut Creek, on the directroad to Fort Hays. It was evident that Curtis was trying to induce me tovolunteer. I made some evasive answer to Curtis, for I did not care tovolunteer after my long day's ride. But Curtis did not let the matterdrop. Said he:

"I wish, Bill, that you were not so tired by your chase of to-day, foryou know the country better than the rest of the boys, and I am certainthat you could go through. "

"As far as the ride to Fort Hays is concerned, that alone would matterbut little to me, " I said, "but it is a risky piece of work just now, asthe country is full of hostile Indians; still if no other scout iswilling to volunteer, I will chance it. I'll go, provided I am furnishedwith a good horse. I am tired of being chased on a government mule byIndians. " At this Captain Nolan, who had been listening to ourconversation, said:

"Bill, you may have the best horse in my company. You can take yourchoice if you will carry these dispatches. Although it is againstregulations to dismount an enlisted man, I have no hesitancy in such acase of urgent necessity as this is, in telling you that you may have anyhorse you may wish. "

"Captain, your first sergeant has a splendid horse, and that's the one Iwant. If he'll let me ride that horse, I'll be ready to start in onehour, storm or no storm, " said I. 

"Good enough, Bill; you shall have the horse; but are you sure you canfind your way on such a dark night as this?"

"I have hunted on nearly every acre of ground between here and Fort Hays, and I can almost keep my route by the bones of the dead buffaloes. " Iconfidently replied. 

"Never fear, Captain, about Cody not finding the way; he is as good inthe dark as he is in the daylight, " said Curtis. 

An orderly was sent for the horse, and the animal was soon brought up, although the sergeant "kicked" a little against letting him go. Aftereating a lunch and filling a canteen with brandy, I went toheadquarters and put my own saddle and bridle on the horse I was toride. I then got the dispatches, and by ten o'clock was on the road toFort Hays, which was sixty-five miles distant across the country. Thescouts had all bidden me a hearty good-bye, and wished me success, notknowing when, if ever, they would again gaze upon "my warlike form, " asthe poet would say. 

It was dark as pitch, but this I rather liked, as there was littleprobability of any of the red-skins seeing me unless I stumbled upon themaccidentally. My greatest danger was that my horse might run into a holeand fall down, and in this way get away from me. To avoid any suchaccident, I tied one end of my rawhide lariat to the bridle and theother end to my belt. I didn't propose to be left on foot, alone out onthe prairie. 

[Illustration: WHOA THERE!]

It was, indeed, a wise precaution that I had taken, for within the nextthree miles the horse, sure enough, stepped into a prairie-dog's hole, and down he went, throwing me clear over his head. Springing to his feet, before I could catch hold of the bridle, he galloped away into thedarkness; but when he reached the full length of the lariat, he foundthat he was picketed to Bison William. I brought him up standing, andafter finding my gun, which had dropped to the ground, I went up to himand in a moment was in the saddle again, and went on my way rejoicingkeeping straight on my course until I came to the ravines leading intoWalnut Creek, twenty-five miles from Fort Larned, where the countrybecame rougher, requiring me to travel slower and more carefully, as Ifeared the horse might fall over the bank, it being difficult to seeanything five feet ahead. As a good horse is not very apt to jump over abank, if left to guide himself, I let mine pick his own way. I was nowproceeding as quietly as possible, for I was in the vicinity of a band ofIndians who had recently camped in that locality. I thought that I hadpassed somewhat above the spot, having made a little circuit to the westwith that intention; but as bad luck would have it this time, when I cameup near the creek I suddenly rode in among a herd of horses. The animalsbecame frightened and ran off in every direction. 

I knew at once that I was among Indian horses, and had walked into thewrong pew; so without waiting to apologize, I backed out as quickly aspossible. At this moment a dog, not fifty yards away, set up a howl, andthen I heard some Indians engaged in conversation;--they were guardingthe horses, and had been sleeping. Hearing my horse's retreatingfootsteps toward the hills, and thus becoming aware that there had beenan enemy in their camp, they mounted their steeds and started for me. 

I urged my horse to his full speed, taking the chances of his fallinginto holes, and guided him up the creek bottom. The Indians followed meas fast as they could by the noise I made, but I soon distanced them; andthen crossed the creek. 

When I had traveled several miles in a straight course, as I supposed, Itook out my compass and by the light of a match saw that I was bearingtwo points to the east of north. At once changing my course to the directroute, I pushed rapidly on through the darkness towards Smoky Hill River. At about three o'clock in the morning I began traveling more cautiously, as I was afraid of running into another band of Indians. Occasionally Iscared up a herd of buffaloes or antelopes, or coyotes, or deer, whichwould frighten my horse for a moment, but with the exception of theseslight alarms I got along all right. 

After crossing Smoky Hill River, I felt comparatively safe as this wasthe last stream I had to cross. Riding on to the northward I struck theold Santa Fe trail, ten miles from Fort Hays, just at break of day. 

My horse did not seem much fatigued, and being anxious to make good timeand get as near the post as possible before it was fairly daylight asthere might be bands of Indians camped along Big Creek, I urged himforward as fast as he could go. As I had not "lost" any Indians, I wasnot now anxious to make their acquaintance, and shortly after _reveille_rode into the post. I proceeded directly to General Sheridan'sheadquarters, and, was met at the door, by Colonel Moore, _aid-de-camp_on General Sheridan's staff who asked me on what business I had come. 

"I have dispatches for General Sheridan, and my instructions from CaptainParker, commanding Fort Larned, are that they shall be delivered to theGeneral as soon as possible, " said I. 

Colonel Moore invited me into one of the offices, and said he would handthe dispatches to t h e General as soon as he got up. 

[Illustration: DELIVERING DISPATCHES TO SHERIDAN. ]

"I prefer to give these dispatches to General Sheridan myself, and atonce, " was my reply. 

The General, who was sleeping in the same building, hearing our voices, called out, "Send the man in with the dispatches. " I was ushered into theGeneral's presence, and as we had met before he recognized me and said:

"Hello, Cody, is that you?"

"Yes, sir; I have some dispatches here for you, from Captain Parker, "said I, as I handed the package over to him. 

He hurriedly read them, and said they were important; and then he askedme all about General Hazen and where he had gone, and about thebreaking out of the Kiowas and Comanches. I gave him all theinformation that I possessed, and related the events and adventures ofthe previous day and night. 

"Bill, " said he, "you must have had a pretty lively ride. You certainlyhad a close call when you ran into the Indians on Walnut Creek. That wasa good joke that you played on old Satanta. I suppose you're prettytired after your long journey?"

"I am rather weary, General, that's a fact, as I have been in the saddlesince yesterday morning;" was my reply, "but my horse is more tired thanI am, and needs attention full as much if not more, " I added. Thereuponthe General called an orderly and gave instructions to have my animalwell taken care of, and then he said, "Cody, come in and have somebreakfast with me. "

"No, thank you, General, " said I, "Hays City is only a mile from here, and I prefer riding over there, as I know about every one in the town, and want to see some of my friends. "

"Very well; do as you please, and come to the post afterwards as I wantto see you, " said he. 

Bidding him good-morning, and telling him that I would return in a fewhours, I rode over to Hays City, and at the Perry House I met many of myold friends who were of course all glad to see me. I took somerefreshments and a two hours nap, and afterward returned to Fort Hays, asI was requested. 

As I rode up to the headquarters I noticed several scouts in a littlegroup, evidently engaged in conversation on some important matter. Upon inquiry I learned that General Sheridan had informed them that hewas desirous of sending a dispatch to Fort Dodge, a distance ofninety-five miles. 

The Indians had recently killed two or three men while they were carryingdispatches between Fort Hays and Fort Dodge, and on this account none ofthe scouts seemed at all anxious to volunteer, although a reward ofseveral hundred dollars was offered to any one who would carry thedispatches. They had learned of my experiences of the previous day, andasked me if I did not think it would be a dangerous trip. I gave it as myopinion that a man might possibly go through without seeing an Indian, but that the chances were ten to one that he would have an exceedinglylively run and a hard time before he reached his destination, if he evergot there at all. 

Leaving the scouts to decide among themselves as to who was to go, Ireported to General Sheridan, who also informed me that he wished someone to carry dispatches to Fort Dodge. While we were talking, his chiefof scouts Dick Parr, entered and stated that none of the scouts had yetvolunteered. Upon hearing this I got my "brave" up a little, and said:

"General, if there is no one ready to volunteer, I'll carry yourdispatches myself. "

"I had not thought of asking you to do this duty, Cody, as you arealready pretty hard worked. But it is really important that thesedispatches should go through, " said the General. 

"Well, if you don't get a courier by four o'clock this afternoon, I'll beready for business at that time. All I want is a fresh horse, " said I;"meantime I'll take a little more rest. "

It was not much of a rest, however, that I got, for I went over to HaysCity again and had "a time with the boys. " I came back to the post at theappointed hour, and finding that no one had volunteered, I reported toGeneral Sheridan. He had selected an excellent horse for me, and onhanding me the dispatches he said:

"You can start as soon as you wish--the sooner the better; and good luckgo with you, my boy. "

In about an hour afterwards I was on the road, and just before dark Icrossed Smoky Hill River. I had not yet urged my horse much, as I wassaving his strength for the latter end of the route, and for any run thatI might have to make in case the "wild-boys" should "jump" me. So far Ihad not seen a sign of Indians, and as evening came on I feltcomparatively safe. 

I had no adventures worth relating during the night, and just beforedaylight I found myself approaching Saw-log Crossing, on the Pawnee Fork, having then ridden about seventy miles. 

A company of colored cavalry, commanded by Major Cox, was stationed atthis point, and I approached their camp cautiously, for fear that thepickets might fire upon me--as the darkey soldiers were liable to shootfirst and cry "halt" afterwards. When within hearing distance I yelledout at the top of my voice, and was answered by one of the pickets. Itold him not to shoot, as I was a scout from Fort Hays; and then, callingthe sergeant of the guard, I went up to the vidette of the post, whoreadily recognized me. I entered the camp and proceeded to the tent ofMajor Cox, to whom I handed a letter from General Sheridan requesting himto give me a fresh horse. He at once complied with the request. 

After I had slept an hour and had eaten a lunch, I again jumped into thesaddle, and before sunrise I was once more on the road. It wastwenty-five miles to Fort Dodge, and I arrived there between nine and teno'clock, without having seen a single Indian. 

After delivering the dispatches to the commanding officer, I met JohnnyAustin, chief of scouts at this post, who was an old friend of mine. Uponhis invitation I took a nap at his house, and when I awoke, fresh forbusiness once more, he informed me that the Indians had been all aroundthe post for the past two or three days, running off cattle and horses, and occasionally killing a stray man. It was a wonder to him that I hadmet with none of the red-skins on the way there. The Indians, he said, were also very thick on the Arkansas River, between Fort Dodge and FortLarned, and making considerable trouble. Fort Dodge was locatedsixty-five miles west of Fort Larned, the latter post being on the PawneeFork, about five miles from its junction with the Arkansas River. 

The commanding officer at Fort Dodge was anxious to send somedispatches to Fort Larned, but the scouts, like those at Fort Hays, were rather backward about volunteering, as it was considered a verydangerous undertaking to make the trip. As Fort Larned was my post, and as I wanted to go there anyhow, I said to Austin that I would carrythe dispatches, and if any of the boys wished to go along, I would liketo have them for company's sake. Austin reported my offer to thecommanding officer, who sent for me and said he would be happy to haveme take his dispatches, if I could stand the trip on top of all that Ihad already done. 

"All I want is a good fresh horse, sir, " said I. 

"I am sorry to say that we haven't a decent horse here, but we havea reliable and honest government mule, if that will do you, " saidthe officer. 

"Trot out your mule, " said I, "that's good enough for me. I am ready atany time, sir. "

The mule was forthcoming, and at dark I pulled out for Fort Larned, andproceeded uninterruptedly to Coon Creek, thirty miles out from Dodge. Ihad left the main wagon road some distance to the south, and had traveledparallel with it, thinking this to be a safer course, as the Indiansmight be lying in wait on the main road for dispatch bearers and scouts. 

At Coon Creek I dismounted and led the mule by the bridle down to thewater, where I took a drink, using my hat for a dipper. While I wasengaged in getting the water, the mule jerked loose and struck out downthe creek. I followed him in hopes that he would catch his foot in thebridle rein and stop, but this he seemed to have no idea of doing. He wasmaking straight for the wagon road, and I did not know what minute hemight run into a band of Indians. He finally got on the road, but insteadof going back toward Fort Dodge, as I naturally expected he would do, heturned eastward toward Fort Larned, and kept up a little jog trot justahead of me, but would not let me come up to him, although I tried itagain and again. I had my gun in my hand, and several times I wasstrongly tempted to shoot him, and would probably have done so had it notbeen for fear of bringing Indians down upon me, and besides he wascarrying the saddle for me. So I trudged on after the obstinate"critter, " and if there ever was a government mule that deserved andreceived a good round cursing it was that one. I had neglected theprecaution of tying one end of my lariat to his bit and the other to mybelt, as I had done a few nights before, and I blamed myself for thisgross piece of negligence. 

Mile after mile I kept on after that mule, and every once in a while Iindulged in strong language respecting the whole mule fraternity. FromCoon Creek to Fort Larned it was thirty-five miles, and I finallyconcluded that my prospects were good for "hoofing" the whole distance. We--that is to say, the confounded mule and myself--were making prettygood time. There was nothing to hold the mule, and I was all the timetrying to catch him--which urged him on. I made every step count, for Iwanted to reach Fort Larned before daylight, in order to avoid ifpossible the Indians, to whom it would have been "pie" to have caught methere on foot. 

The mule stuck to the road and kept on for Larned, and I did thesame thing. Just as day was beginning to break, we--that is the muleand myself--found ourselves on a hill looking down into the valleyof the Pawnee Fork, in which Fort Larned was located, only fourmiles away; and when the morning gun belched forth we were withinhalf a mile of the post. 

"Now, " said I, "Mr. Mule, it is my turn, " and raising my gun to myshoulder, in "dead earnest" this time, I blazed away, hitting the animalin the hip. Throwing a second cartridge into the gun, I let him haveanother shot, and I continued to pour the lead into him until I had himcompletely laid out. Like the great majority of government mules, he wasa tough one to kill, and he clung to life with all the tenaciousness ofhis obstinate nature. He was, without doubt, the toughest and meanestmule I ever saw, and he died hard. 

The troops, hearing the reports of the gun, came rushing out to see whatwas the matter. They found that the mule had passed in his chips, andwhen they learned the cause they all agreed that I had served him justright. Taking the saddle and bridle from the dead body, I proceeded intothe post and delivered the dispatches to Captain Parker. I then went overto Dick Curtis' house, which was headquarters for the scouts, and thereput in several hours of solid sleep. 

During the day General Hazen returned from Fort Harker, and he also hadsome important dispatches to send to General Sheridan. I was feelingquite elated over my big ride; and seeing that I was getting the best ofthe other scouts in regard to making a record, I volunteered to carryGeneral Hazen's dispatches to Fort Hays. The General accepted myservices, although he thought it was unnecessary for me to kill myself. Itold him that I had business at Fort Hays, and wished to go thereanyway, and it would make no difference to the other scouts, for none ofthem appeared willing to undertake the trip. 

Accordingly, that night I left Fort Larned on an excellent horse, andnext morning at daylight found myself once more in General Sheridan'sheadquarters at Fort Hays. The General was surprised to see me, and stillmore so when I told him of the time I had made in riding to Fort Dodge, and that I had taken dispatches from Fort Dodge to Fort Larned; and when, in addition to this, I mentioned my journey of the night previous, General Sheridan thought my ride from post to post, taken as a whole, wasa remarkable one, and he said that he did not know of its equal. I cansafely say that I have never heard of its being beaten in a countryinfested with hostile Indians. 

To recapitulate: I had ridden from Fort Larned to Fort Zarah (a distanceof sixty-five miles) and back in twelve hours, including the time when Iwas taken across the Arkansas by the Indians. In the succeeding twelvehours I had gone from Fort Larned to Fort Hays, a distance of sixty-fivemiles. In the next twenty-four hours I had gone from Fort Hays to FortDodge, a distance of ninety-five miles. The following night I hadtraveled from Fort Dodge thirty miles on muleback and thirty-five mileson foot to Fort Larned; and the next night sixty-five miles more to FortHays. Altogether I had ridden (and walked) 355 miles in fifty-eightriding hours, or an average of over six miles an hour. Of course, thismay not be regarded as very fast riding, but taking into considerationthe fact that it was mostly done in the night and over a wild country, with no roads to follow, and that I had to be continually on the look outfor Indians, it was thought at the time to be a big ride, as well as amost dangerous one. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

AN APPOINTMENT. 

General Sheridan highly complimented me for what I had done, and informedme that I need not report back to General Hazen, as he had more importantwork for me to do. He told me that the Fifth Cavalry--one of the finestregiments in the army--was on its way to the Department of the Missouri, and that he was going to send it on an expedition against the Dog SoldierIndians, who were infesting the Republican River region. 

"Cody, " continued he, "I have decided to appoint you as guide and chiefof scouts with the command. How does that suit you?"

"First-rate, General, and I thank you for the honor, " I replied, asgracefully as I knew how. 

The Dog Soldier Indians were a band of Cheyennes and unruly, turbulentmembers of other tribes, who would not enter into any treaty, or keep atreaty if they made one, and who had always refused to go upon areservation. They were a warlike body of well-built, daring and restlessbraves, and were determined to hold possession of the country in thevicinity of the Republican and Solomon Rivers. They were called "DogSoldiers" because they were principally Cheyennes--a name derived fromthe French _chien_, a dog. 

After my conversation with the General, I went over to Hays City, where Imet some of General Forsyth's scouts, who had just returned from one ofthe severest battles ever fought with the Indians. As it will not be outof place in this connection, I will here give a brief history of thatmemorable event. 

[Illustration: GENERAL PHIL. SHERIDAN. ]

The Indians had become quite troublesome, and General Sheridan hadselected General George A. Forsyth to go out on an expedition, andpunish them for their recent depredations. There was a scarcity of troopsat Fort Hays at that time, so General Forsyth recruited a company offrontiersmen who could move rapidly, as they were to carry no luggage, and were to travel without the ordinary transportation. Thirty of thesefrontiersmen came from Fort Harker, and twenty from Fort Hays. It wascertainly a small body of men, but nearly every one of them was anexperienced hunter, guide, scout and Indian-fighter, and they could fightthe red-skins in their own way. 

In four days they were prepared to take the field, and on the morning ofthe 29th of August, 1868, they rode out of Fort Hays to meet the Indians. Lieutenant F. H. Beecher, of the Third Infantry, nephew of Henry WardBeecher, was second in command; Brevet Major-General W. H. H. McCall, whohad been in the volunteer army, acted as first sergeant; Dr. John Mowers, of Hays City, who had been a volunteer army surgeon, was the surgeon ofthe expedition; and Sharpe Grover was the chief guide. 

Resting at Fort Wallace, they started September 10th, for the town ofSheridan, thirteen miles distant, where a band of Indians had attacked atrain, killed two teamsters, and stolen some cattle. Arriving at Sheridanthey easily found the Indian trail, and followed it for some distance. Onthe eighth day out from Fort Wallace, the command went into camp late inthe afternoon, on the Arickaree, which was then not more than eight ornine feet wide at that point, and only two or three inches deep. It wasevident to the men that they were not far from the Indians, and it wasdecided that the next day they would find them and give them a fight. 

Early next morning, September 19th, the cry of "Indians" startled thecommand. Every man jumped for his horse. A half-dozen red-skins, yellingand whooping and making a hideous racket, and firing their guns, rode upand attempted to stampede the horses, several of which, together with thefour pack-mules, were so frightened that they broke loose and got away. The Indians then rode off, followed by a few shots. In a minuteafterwards, hundreds of Indian warriors--it was estimated that there werenearly one thousand--came galloping down upon the command from everyquarter, completely hemming them in. 

Acting under the order of General Forsyth, the men retreated to a smallisland, tied their horses in a circle to the bushes, and then, throwingthemselves upon the ground, they began the defense by firing at theapproaching enemy, who came pretty close and gave them a raking fire. Thebesieged scouts at the first opportunity threw up a small breastwork withtheir knives. The firing, however, continued back and forth, and early inthe fight Forsyth was twice seriously wounded--once in the right thigh, and once in the left leg. Dr. Mowers was also wounded in the head, andsoon died. Two other men had been killed, and several wounded. All thehorses of the command were killed by nine o'clock in the morning. 

Shortly afterwards over three hundred Dog-Soldier Indians commanded byold "Roman Nose, " charged down upon the little band of heroes, givingthem volley after volley; but finally the scouts, at a favorableopportunity, returned their fire with telling effect. "Roman Nose" and"Medicine Man" were killed, and fell from their horses when within lessthan one rod of the scouts, who thereupon sent up a triumphant shout. Thecharging braves now weakened, and in a few moments they were driven back. It was a brilliant charge, and was most nobly and bravely repulsed. Thescouts had again suffered severely, having several men wounded, among thenumber being Lieutenant Beecher who died that night. The Indians, too, had had quite a number killed, several of whom had fallen close to theearthworks. The dismounted Indian warriors still continued firing, but asthe scouts had thrown up their intrenchments sufficiently to protectthemselves by closely hugging the ground, little or no damage was done. 

A second charge was made by the mounted Indians about two o'clock in theafternoon, and they were again repulsed with a severe loss. Darknessfinally came on, and then ensued a cessation of hostilities. Two of thescouts had been killed, four fatally wounded, and fourteen others werewounded more or less severely. There were just twenty-eight able-bodiedmen left out of the fifty. The supplies had run out, and as Dr. Mowershad been mortally wounded and the medical stores captured, the woundedmen could not be properly cared for. 

Although they were entirely surrounded, and one hundred and ten milesfrom the nearest post, the men did not despair. They had an abundance ofammunition, plenty of water, under ground only a short distance, and forfood they had their horses and mules. At night two of the scouts, Tradeauand Stillwell, stole through the lines of the Indians, and startedswiftly for Fort Wallace to obtain relief. It was a dangerousundertaking, but they were brave and experienced scouts. Stillwell wasonly nineteen or twenty years old, but he was, in every sense of theword, a thoroughbred frontiersman. 

During the night the besieged scouts threw up their breastworksconsiderably higher and piled the dead animals on top. They dug down towater, and also stored away a lot of horse and mule meat in the sand tokeep it fresh as long as possible. The Indians renewed their firing nextmorning, and kept it up all day, doing but little injury, however, as thescouts were now well entrenched; but many an Indian was sent to his happyhunting ground. 

[Illustration: BATTLE ON THE ARICKAREE]

Night came again, and the prospects were indeed gloomy. An attempt wasmade by two more of the scouts to creep through the Indian lines, butthey were detected by the enemy and had to return to their comrades. The next morning the Indians renewed hostilities as usual. Their womenand children began to disappear about noon, and then the Indians tried todraw the scouts out by displaying a white flag for a truce. They appearedto want to have a talk with General Forsyth, but as their treachery waswell-known, the scouts did not fall into this trap. The Indians hadapparently become tired of fighting, especially as they found that theyhad a most stubborn foe to deal with. 

Night once more threw its mantle over the scene, and under the cover ofthe darkness Donovan and Plyley, two of the best scouts, stealthily madetheir way out of the camp, and started for Fort Wallace with a dispatchfrom General Forsyth, who gave a brief summary of the situation, andstated that if necessary he could hold out for six days longer. 

When the day dawned again, only a small number of warriors could beseen, and they probably remained to watch, the scouts and keep themcorraled. The uninjured men attended to the wounded as well as theycould under the adverse circumstances, but from want of propertreatment, evidences of gangrene appeared in some of the wounds on thesixth day. The mule and horse meat became totally unfit for use, butthey had nothing else to eat, and had to eat it or starve. Under thesetrying circumstances the General told the men that any who wished to gomight do so, and take their chances; but they all resolved to remain, and die together, if need be. 

Relief came at last. Tradeau and Stillwell had safely reached FortWallace, and on the morning of the 25th of September, Colonel Carpenterand a detachment of cavalry arrived with supplies. This assistance to thebesieged and starving scouts came like a vessel to ship-wrecked mendrifting and starving on a raft in mid-ocean. 

It was with the survivors of this terrible fight that I spent the fewdays at Hays City, prior to the arrival of the Fifth Cavalry. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

SCOUTING. 

On the third day of October the Fifth Cavalry arrived at Fort Hays, and Iat once began making the acquaintance of the different officers of theregiment. I was introduced by General Sheridan to Colonel William Royal, who was in command of the regiment. He was a gallant officer, and anagreeable and pleasant gentleman. He is now stationed at Omaha asInspector General in the department of the Platte. I also becameacquainted with Major W. H. Brown, Major Walker. Captain Sweetman, Quartermaster E. M. Hays, and in fact all the officers of the regiment. 

General Sheridan, being anxious to punish the Indians who had latelyfought General Forsyth, did not give the regiment much of a rest, andaccordingly on the 5th of October it began its march for the Beaver Creekcountry. The first night we camped on the South fork of Big Creek, fourmiles west of Hays City. By this time I had become pretty well acquaintedwith Major Brown and Captain Sweetman, who invited me to mess with themon this expedition; and a jolly mess we had. There were other scouts inthe command besides myself, and I particularly remember Tom Renahan, HankFields and a character called "Nosey" on account of his long nose. 

On the morning of the 6th we pulled out to the north, and during the dayI was very favorably struck with the appearance of the regiment. It was abeautiful command, and when strung out on the prairie with a train ofseventy-five six-mule wagons, ambulances and pack mules, I felt veryproud of my position as guide and chief of scouts of such a warlikeexpedition. 

Just as we were about to go into camp on the Saline river that night, weran on to a band of about fifteen Indians, who, seeing us, dashed acrossthe creek, followed by some bullets which we sent after them; but as thesmall band proved to be a scouting party, we pursued them only a mile ortwo, when our attention was directed to a herd of buffaloes--they beingvery plenty--and we succeeded in killing ten or fifteen for the command. 

The next day we marched thirty miles, and late in the afternoon we wentinto camp on the South fork of the Solomon. At this encampment ColonelRoyal asked me to go out and kill some buffaloes for the boys. 

"All right, Colonel, send along a wagon or two to bring in themeat, " I said. 

"I am not in the habit of sending out my wagons until I know that thereis something to be hauled in; kill your buffalo first and then I'll sendout the wagons, " was the Colonel's reply. I said no more, but went out ona hunt, and after a short absence returned and asked the Colonel to sendhis wagons over the hill for the half dozen buffaloes I had killed. 

The following afternoon he again requested me to go out and get somefresh buffalo meat. I didn't ask him for any wagons this time, but rodeout some distance, and coming up with a small herd, I managed to getseven of them headed straight for the encampment, and instead of shootingthem just then, I ran them at full speed right into the camp, and thenkilled them all, one after the other in rapid succession. Colonel Royalwitnessed the whole proceeding, which puzzled him somewhat, as he couldsee no reason why I had not killed them on the prairie. He came up, rather angrily, and demanded an explanation. "I can't allow any suchbusiness as this, Cody, " said he, "what do you mean by it?"

"I didn't care about asking for any wagons this time, Colonel; so Ithought I would make the buffaloes furnish their own transportation, " wasmy reply. The Colonel saw the point in a moment, and had no more to sayon the subject. 

[Illustration: BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP. ]

No Indians had been seen in the vicinity during the day, and ColonelRoyal having carefully posted his pickets, supposed everything was serenefor the night. But before morning we were roused from our slumbers byhearing shots fired, and immediately afterwards one of the mountedpickets came galloping into camp, saying that there were Indians closeat hand. The companies all fell into line, and were soon prepared andanxious to give the red-skins battle; but as the men were yet new in theIndian country a great many of them were considerably excited. NoIndians, however, made their appearance, and upon going to thepicket-post where the picket said he had seen them, none could be foundnor could any traces of them be discovered. The sentinel, --who was anIrishman--insisted that there certainly had been red-skins there. 

[Illustration: "INDIANS!"]

"But you must be mistaken, " said Colonel Royal. 

"Upon me sowl, Colonel, I'm not; as shure ez me name's Pat Maloney, oneof thim rid divils hit me on the head wid a club, so he did, " said Pat;and so, when morning came, the mystery was further investigated and waseasily solved. Elk tracks were found in the vicinity and it wasundoubtedly a herd of elks that had frightened Pat; as he had turned torun, he had gone under a limb of a tree, against which he hit his head, and supposed he had been struck by a club in the hands of an Indian. Itwas hard to convince Pat however, of the truth. 

A three days uninteresting march brought us to Beaver Creek where wecamped and from which point scouting parties were sent out in differentdirections. Neither of these parties discovering Indians they allreturned to camp about the same time, finding it in a state of greatexcitement, it having been attacked a few hours previous by a party ofIndians, who had succeeded in killing two men and in making off withsixty horses belonging to Co. H. 

That evening the command started on the trail of these Indianhorse-thieves; Major Brown with two companies and three days rationspushing ahead in advance of the main command. Being unsuccessful, however, in overtaking the Indians, and getting nearly out ofprovisions--it being our eighteenth day out, the entire command marchedtowards the nearest railroad point, and camped on the Saline River;distant three miles from Buffalo Tank. 

While waiting for supplies we received a new commanding officer, BrevetMajor-General E. A. Carr, who was the senior major of the regiment, andwho ranked Colonel Royal. He brought with him the now celebrated Forsythscouts, who were commanded by Lieutenant Pepoon, a regular army officer. 

[Illustration: GEN'L E. A. CARR. ]

It was also while waiting in this camp that Major Brown received a newlieutenant to fill a vacancy in his company. On the day that this officerwas to arrive, Major Brown had his private ambulance brought out, andinvited me to accompany him to the railroad station to meet hislieutenant, whose name was A. B. Bache. He proved to be a fine gentleman, and a brave, dashing officer. On the way to the dépôt Major Brown hadsaid, "Now, Cody, when we come back we'll give Bache a lively ride andshake him up a little. "

Major Brown was a jolly good fellow, but sometimes he would get "a littleoff, " and as this was one of his "off days" he was bound to amuse himselfin some original and mischievous way. Reaching the dépôt just as thetrain came in, we easily found the Lieutenant, and giving him the backseat in the ambulance we were soon headed for camp. 

Pretty soon Major Brown took the reins from his driver, and at once beganwhipping the mules. After getting them into a lively gallop he pulled outhis revolver and fired several shots. The road was terribly rough and thenight was so dark that we could hardly see where we were going. It Was awonderful piece of luck that we were not tipped over and our necksbroken. Finally Bache said, good-humoredly:

"Is this the way you break in all your Lieutenants, Major?"

"Oh, no; I don't do this as a regular thing, but it's the way wefrequently ride in this country, " said the Major; "just keep yourseat, Mr. Bache, and we'll take you through on time. " The Majorappropriated the reply of the old California stage driver, Hank Monk, to Horace Greely. 

We were now rattling down a steep hill at full speed, and just as wereached the bottom, the front wheels struck a deep ditch over which themules had jumped. We were all brought up standing by the sudden stoppageof the ambulance. Major Brown and myself were nearly pitched out on thewheels, while the Lieutenant came flying headlong from the back seat tothe front of the vehicle. 

"Take a back seat, Lieutenant, " coolly said Major Brown. 

"Major, I have just left that seat, " said Bache. 

We soon lifted the wagon out of the ditch, and then resumed our drive, running into camp under full headway, and creating considerableamusement. Every one recognized the ambulance and knew at once thatMajor Brown and I were out on a "lark, " and therefore there was not muchsaid about our exploit. Halting with a grand flourish in front of histent, Major Brown jumped out in his most gallant style and politelyasked his lieutenant in. A very pleasant evening was spent there, quitea number of the officers calling to make the acquaintance of the newofficer, who entertained the visitors with an amusing account of theride from the dépôt. 

Next morning at an early hour, the command started out on a hunt forIndians. General Carr having a pretty good idea where he would be mostlikely to find them, directed me to guide him by the nearest route toElephant Rock on Beaver Creek. 

Upon arriving at the south fork of the Beaver on the second day's march, we discovered a large, fresh Indian trail which we hurriedly followed fora distance of eight miles, when suddenly we saw on the bluffs ahead ofus, quite a large number of Indians. 

General Carr ordered Lieutenant Pepoon's scouts and Company M to thefront. This company was commanded by Lieutenant Schinosky, a Frenchman bybirth and a reckless dare-devil by nature, who was anxious to have ahair-lifting match. Having advanced his company nearly a mile ahead ofthe main command, about four hundred Indians suddenly charged down uponhim and gave him a lively little fight, until he was supported by ourfull force. 

The Indians kept increasing in numbers all the while until it wasestimated that we were fighting from eight hundred to one thousand ofthem. The engagement became quite general, and several were killed andwounded on each side. The Indians were evidently fighting to give theirfamilies and village, a chance to get away. We had undoubtedly surprisedthem with a larger force than they had expected to see in that part ofthe country. We fought them until dark, all the time driving them beforeus. At night they annoyed us considerably by firing down into our campfrom the higher hills, and several times the command was ordered out todislodge them from their position and drive them back. 

After having returned from one of these little sallies, Major Brown, Captain Sweetman, Lieutenant Bache and myself were taking suppertogether, when "whang!" came a bullet into Lieutenant Bache's plate, breaking a hole through it. The bullet came from the gun of one of theIndians, who had returned to the high bluff over-looking our camp. MajorBrown declared it was a crack shot, because it broke the plate. Wefinished our supper without having any more such close calls. 

At daylight next morning we struck out on the trail, and soon came to thespot where the Indians had camped the day before. We could see thattheir village was a very large one, consisting of about five hundredlodges; and we pushed forward rapidly from this point on the trail whichran back toward Prairie Dog Creek. 

About two o'clock we came in sight of the retreating village, and soonthe warriors turned back to give us battle. They set fire to the prairiegrass in front of us, and on all sides, in order to delay us as much aspossible. We kept up a running fight for the remainder of the afternoon, and the Indians repeatedly attempted to lead us off the track of theirflying village, but their trail was easily followed, as they werecontinually dropping tepee poles, camp kettles, robes, furs and all heavyarticles belonging to them. They were evidently scattering, and itfinally became difficult for us to keep on the main trail. When darknessset in, we went into camp, it being useless to try to follow the Indiansafter nightfall. 

Next morning we were again on the trail, which led north, and backtowards the Beaver Creek, which stream it crossed within a few miles ofthe spot where we had first discovered the Indians, they having madenearly a complete circle, in hopes of misleading us. Late in theafternoon, we again saw them going over a hill far ahead of us, andtowards evening the main body of warriors came back and fought us oncemore; but we continued to drive them until darkness set in, when wecamped for the night. 

The Indians soon scattered in every direction, but we followed the maintrail to the Republican river, where we made a cut-off, and then wentnorth towards the Platte river. We found, however, that the Indians bytraveling night and day had got a long start, and the General concludedthat it was useless to follow them any further, as we had pushed them sohard, and given them such a scare that they would leave the Republicancountry and go north across the Union Pacific railroad. Most of theIndians, as he had predicted, did cross the Platte river, near Ogallala, on the Union Pacific, and thence continued northward. 

That night we returned to the Republican river and camped in a groveof cottonwoods, which I named Carr's Grove, in honor of thecommanding officer. 

The General told me that the next day's march would be towards thehead-waters of the Beaver, and he asked me the distance. I replied thatit was about twenty-five miles, and he said we would make it the nextday. Getting an early start in the morning, we struck out across theprairie, my position as guide being ahead of the advance guard. About twoo'clock General Carr overtook me, and asked how far I supposed it was towater. I thought it was about eight miles, although we could see no signor indication of any stream in our front. 

"Pepoon's scouts say that you are going in the wrong direction, " said theGeneral, "and in the way you are bearing it will be fifteen miles beforeyou can strike any of the branches of the Beaver; and that when you do, you will find no water, for the Beavers are dry at this time of the yearat that point. "

"General, I think the scouts are mistaken, " said I, "for the Beaver hasmore water near its head than it has below; and at the place where wewill strike the stream we will find immense beaver dams, large enough andstrong enough to cross the whole command, if you wish. "

"Well, Cody, go ahead, " said he, "I'll leave it to you, but rememberthat I don't want a dry camp. "

"No danger of that, " said I, and then I rode on, leaving him to return tothe command. As I had predicted, we found water seven or eight milesfurther on, where we came upon a beautiful little stream--a tributary ofthe Beaver--hidden in the hills. We had no difficulty in selecting agood halting place, and obtaining fresh spring water and excellent grass. The General, upon learning from me that the stream--which was only eightor nine miles long--had no name, took out his map and located it, andnamed it Cody's Creek, which name it still bears. 

We pulled out early next morning for the Beaver, and when we wereapproaching the stream I rode on ahead of the advance guard, in order tofind a crossing. Just as I turned a bend of the creek, "bang!" went ashot, and down went my horse--myself with him. I disentangled myself, andjumped behind the dead body. Looking in the direction whence the shot hadcome, I saw two Indians, and at once turned my gun loose on them, but inthe excitement of the moment I missed my aim. They fired two or threemore shots, and I returned the compliment, wounding one of their horses. 

On the opposite side of the creek, going over the hill, I observed a fewlodges moving rapidly away, and also some mounted warriors, who could seeme, and who kept blazing away with their guns. The two Indians who hadfired at me and had killed my horse were retreating across the creek on abeaver dam. I sent a few shots after them to accelerate their speed, andalso fired at the ones on the other side of the stream. I was undecidedas to whether it was best to run back to the command on foot or hold myposition. I knew that within a few minutes the troops would come up, andif they heard the firing they would come rapidly. 

The Indians, seeing that I was alone, turned and charged down the hill, and were about to re-cross the creek to corral me, when the advance guardof the command put in an appearance on the ridge, and dashed forward tomy rescue. The red-skins whirled and made off. 

When General Carr came up, he ordered Company I to go in pursuit of theband. I accompanied Lieutenant Brady, who commanded, and we had a runningfight with the Indians, lasting several hours. We captured several headof their horses and most of their lodges. At night we returned to thecommand, which by this time had crossed the creek on the beaver dam. 

We scouted for several days along the river, and had two or three livelyskirmishes. Finally our supplies began to run low, and General Carr gaveorders to return to Fort Wallace, which we reached three days afterwards, and where we remained several days. 

While the regiment was waiting here for orders, I spent most of the timein hunting buffaloes, and one day while I was out with a small party, wewere "jumped" by about fifty Indians. We had a severe fight of at leastan hour, when we succeeded in driving the enemy. They lost four of theirwarriors, and probably concluded that we were a hard crowd. I had someexcellent marksmen with me, and they did some fine work, sending thebullets thick and fast where they would do the most good. Two or three ofour horses had been hit, and one man had been wounded; we were ready andwilling to stay with the red-skins as long as they wished--but theyfinally gave it up however, as a bad job, and rode off. We finished ourhunt, and went back to the post loaded down with plenty of buffalo meat, and received the compliments of the General for our little fight. 

[Illustration: A HARD CROWD. ]

CHAPTER XIX. 

A TOUGH TIME. 

General Carr soon received orders from General Sheridan that he was tomake a winter's campaign in the Canadian river country, and that we wereto proceed to Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas river, in Colorado, and therefit out for the expedition. Leaving Fort Wallace in November, 1868, wearrived at Fort Lyon in the latter part of the month, and outfitted forthe coming expedition. 

General Penrose had left this post three weeks previously with a commandof some three hundred men. He had taken no wagons with him and his supplytrain was composed only of pack mules. General Carr was ordered to followwith supplies on his trail and overtake him as soon as possible. I wasparticularly anxious to catch up with Penrose's command, as my oldfriend Wild Bill was among his scouts. We followed the trail very easilyfor the first three days, and then we were caught in Freeze-Out canyon bya fearful snow storm, which compelled us to go into camp for a day. Theground now being covered with snow, we found that it would be almostimpossible to follow Penrose's trail any further, especially as he hadleft no sign to indicate the direction he was going. General Carr sentfor me and said that as it was very important that we should not lose thetrail, he wished that I would take some scouts with me, and while thecommand remained in camp, push on as far as possible and see if I couldnot discover some traces of Penrose or where he had camped at any time. 

[Illustration: CAMPING IN THE SNOW. ]

Accompanied by four men I started out in the blinding snow storm, takinga southerly direction. We rode twenty-four miles, and upon reaching atributary of the Cimarron, we scouted up and down the stream for a fewmiles and finally found one of Penrose's old camps. It was now late inthe afternoon, and as the command would come up the next day, it was notnecessary for all of us to return with the information to General Carr. So riding down into a sheltered place in a bend of the creek, we built afire and broiled some venison from a deer which we had shot during theday, and after eating a substantial meal, I left the four men there, while I returned to bring up the troops. 

It was eleven o'clock at night when I got back to the camp. A light wasstill burning in the General's tent, he having remained awake, anxiouslyawaiting my return. He was glad to see me, and was overjoyed at theinformation I brought, for he had great fears concerning the safety ofGeneral Penrose. He roused up his cook and ordered him to get me a goodhot supper, all of which I greatly appreciated. I passed the night in theGeneral's tent, and next morning rose refreshed and prepared for a bigday's work. 

The command took up its march next day for the Cimarron, and had a hardtramp of it on account of the snow having drifted to a great depth inmany of the ravines, and in some places the teamsters had to shovel theirway through. We arrived at the Cimarron at sundown, and went into a nicewarm camp. Upon looking around next morning, we found that Penrose, having been unencumbered by wagons, had kept on the west side of theCimarron, and the country was so rough that it was impossible for us tostay on his trail with our wagons; but knowing that he would certainlyfollow down the river, General Carr concluded to take the best wagonroute along the stream, which I discovered to be on the east side. Beforewe could make any headway with our wagon train we had to leave the riverand get out on the divide. We were very fortunate that day in finding asplendid road for some distance, until we were all at once brought upstanding on a high table-land, overlooking a beautiful winding creek thatlay far below us in the valley. The question that troubled us, was, howwe were to get the wagons down. We were now in the foot-hills of theRattoon Mountains, and the bluff we were on was very steep. 

"Cody, we're in a nice fix now, " said General Carr. 

"Oh, that's nothing, " was my reply. 

"But you can never take the train down, " said he. 

"Never you mind the train, General. You say you are looking for a goodcamp. How does that beautiful spot down in the valley suit you?" Iasked him. 

"That will do. I can easily descend with the cavalry, but how to get thewagons down there is a puzzler to me, " said he. 

"By the time you've located your camp, your wagons shall bethere, " said I. 

"All right, Cody, I'll leave it to you, as you seem to want to be boss, "replied he pleasantly. He at once ordered the command to dismount andlead the horses down the mountain-side. The wagon train was a mile in therear, and when it came up, one of the drivers asked: "How are we goingdown there?"

"Run down, slide down or fall down--any way to get down, " said I. 

"We never can do it; it's too steep; the wagons will run over the mules, "said another wagon-master. 

"I guess not; the mules have got to keep out of the way, " was my reply. 

Telling Wilson, the chief wagon-master, to bring on his mess-wagon, whichwas at the head of the train, I said I would try the experiment at least. Wilson drove the team and wagon to the brink of the hill, and followingmy directions he brought out some extra chains with which we locked bothwheels on each side, and then rough-locked them. We then started thewagon down the hill. The wheel-horses--or rather the wheel-mules--weregood on the hold-back, and we got along finely until we nearly reachedthe bottom, when the wagon crowded the mules so hard that they started ona run and galloped down into the valley and to the place where GeneralCarr had located his camp. Three other wagons immediately followed in thesame way, and in half an hour every wagon was in camp, without the leastaccident having occurred. It was indeed an exciting sight to see thesix-mule teams come straight down the mountain and finally break into afull run. At times it looked as if the wagons would turn a somersault andland on the mules. 

This proved to be a lucky march for us as far as gaining on Penrose wasconcerned, for the route he had taken on the west side of the streamturned out to be a bad one, and we went with our immense wagon train asfar in one day as Penrose had in seven. His command had marched on to aplateau or high table-land so steep, that not even a pack mule coulddescend it, and he was obliged to retrace his steps a long ways, thuslosing three days time as we afterwards learned. 

While in this camp we had a lively turkey hunt. The trees along thebanks of the stream were literally alive with wild turkeys, and afterunsaddling the horses between two and three hundred soldiers surrounded agrove of timber and had a grand turkey round-up, killing four or fivehundred of the birds, with guns, clubs and stones. Of course, we hadturkey in every style after this hunt--roast turkey, boiled turkey, friedturkey, "turkey on toast, " and so on; and we appropriately called thisplace Camp Turkey. 

From this point on, for several days, we had no trouble in followingPenrose's trail, which led us in a southeasterly direction towards theCanadian River. No Indians were seen, nor any signs of them found. Oneday, while riding in advance of the command, down San Francisco Creek, Iheard some one calling my name from a little bunch of willow brush on theopposite bank, and, upon looking closely at the spot, I saw a negro. 

"Sakes alive! Massa Bill, am dat you?" asked the man, whom I recognizedas one of the colored soldiers of the Tenth Cavalry. I next heard him sayto some one in the brush: "Come out o' heah. Dar's Massa Buffalo Bill. "Then he sang out, "Massa Bill, is you got any hawd tack?"

"Nary a hard tack; but the wagons will be along presently, and then youcan get all you want, " said I. 

"Dat's de best news I'se heerd foah sixteen long days, Massa Bill, " saidhe. "Where's your command? Where's General Penrose?" I asked. 

"I dunno, " said the darkey; "we got lost, and we's been a starvin'eber since. "

By this time two other negroes had emerged from their place ofconcealment. They had deserted Penrose's command--which was out ofrations and nearly in a starving condition--and were trying to make theirway back to Fort Lyon. General Carr concluded, from what they could tellhim, that General Penrose was somewhere on Polladora Creek; but we couldnot learn anything definite from the starved "mokes, " for they knew notwhere they were themselves. 

Having learned that General Penrose's troops were in such bad shape, General Carr ordered Major Brown to start out the next morning with twocompanies of cavalry and fifty pack-mules loaded with provisions, and tomake all possible speed to reach and relieve the suffering soldiers. Iaccompanied this detachment, and on the third day out we found thehalf-famished soldiers camped on the Polladora. The camp presented apitiful sight, indeed. For over two weeks the men had had only quarterrations, and were now nearly starved to death. Over two hundred horsesand mules were lying dead, having died from fatigue and starvation. General Penrose, having feared that General Carr would not find him, hadsent back a company of the Seventh Cavalry to Fort Lyon for supplies; butno word as yet had been heard from them. The rations which Major Brownbrought to the command came none too soon, and were the means of savingmany a life. 

[Illustration: A WELCOME VISITOR]

About the first man I saw after reaching the camp was my old, true andtried friend, Wild Bill. That night we had a jolly reunion around thecamp-fires. 

General Carr, upon arriving with his force, took command of all thetroops, he being the senior officer and ranking General Penrose. Afterselecting a good camp, he unloaded the wagons and sent them back to FortLyon for fresh supplies. He then picked out five hundred of the best menand horses, and, taking his pack-train with him, he started south for theCanadian River, distant about forty miles, leaving the rest of the troopsat the supply camp. 

I was ordered to accompany this expedition. We struck the south fork ofthe Canadian River, or Rio Colorado, at a point a few miles above the old_adobe_ walls, which at one time had composed a fort, and was the placewhere Kit Carson once had a big Indian fight. We were now within twelvemiles of a new supply dépôt, called Camp Evans, which had beenestablished for the Third Cavalry and Evans's Expedition from New Mexico. The scouts who had brought in this information also reported that theyexpected the arrival at Camp Evans of a bull-train from New Mexico witha large quantity of beer for the soldiers. This news was "pie" for WildBill and myself, and we determined to lie low for that beer outfit. Thatvery evening it came along, and the beer that was destined for thesoldiers at Camp Evans never reached its destination. It went straightdown the thirsty throats of General Carr's command. It appears that theMexicans living near Fort Union had manufactured the beer, and weretaking it through to Camp Evans to sell to the troops, but it struck alively market without going so far. It was sold to our boys in pint cups, and as the weather was very cold we warmed the beer by putting the endsof our picket-pins heated red-hot into the cups. The result was one ofthe biggest beer jollifications I ever had the misfortune to attend. 

One evening General Carr summoned me to his tent, and said he wished tosend some scouts with dispatches to Camp Supply, which were to beforwarded from there to Sheridan. He ordered me to call the scoutstogether at once at his headquarters, and select the men who were to go. I asked him if I should not go myself, but he replied that he wished meto remain with the command, as he could not spare me. The distance toCamp Supply was about two hundred miles, and owing to the very coldweather it was anything but a pleasant trip. Consequently none of thescouts were anxious to undertake it. It was finally settled, however, that Wild Bill, a half-breed called Little Geary, and three other scoutsshould carry the dispatches, and they accordingly took their departurenext day, with instructions to return to the command as soon as possible. 

For several days we scouted along the Canadian River, but found no signsof Indians. General Carr then went back to his camp, and soon afterwardsour wagon train came in from Fort Lyon with a fresh load of provisions. Our animals being in poor condition, we remained in different camps alongSan Francisco Creek and the north fork of the Canadian, until Wild Billand his scouts returned from Camp Supply. 

Among the scouts of Penrose's command were fifteen Mexicans, and betweenthem and the American scouts there had existed a feud; when General Carrtook command of the expedition--uniting it with his own--and I was madechief of all the scouts, this feud grew more intense, and the Mexicansoften threatened to clean us out; but they postponed the undertaking fromtime to time, until one day, while we were all at the sutler's store, thelong-expected fight took place, and resulted in the Mexicans gettingseverely beaten. 

General Carr, upon hearing of the row, sent for Wild Bill and myself, hehaving concluded, from the various statements which had been made tohim, that we were the instigators of the affair. But after listening towhat we had to say, he thought that the Mexicans were as much to blameas we were. 

It is not to be denied that Wild Bill and myself had been partaking toofreely of "tanglefoot" that evening; and General Carr said to me: "Cody, there are plenty of antelopes in the country, and you can do some huntingfor the camp while we stay here. "

"All right, General, I'll do it. "

After that I put in my time hunting, and with splendid success, killingfrom fifteen to twenty antelopes a day, which kept the men well suppliedwith fresh meat. 

At length, our horses and mules having become sufficiently recruited totravel, we returned to Fort Lyon, arriving there in March, 1869, wherethe command was to rest and recruit for thirty days, before proceeding tothe Department of the Platte, whither it had been ordered. 

CHAPTER XX. 

AN EXCITING CHASE. 

General Carr, at my request, kindly granted me one month's leave ofabsence to visit my family in St. Louis, and ordered Captain Hays, ourquartermaster, to let me ride my mule and horse to Sheridan, distant 140miles, where I was to take the cars. I was instructed to leave theanimals in the quartermaster's corral at Fort Wallace until I should comeback, but instead of doing this I put them both in the care of my oldfriend Perry, the hotel-keeper at Sheridan. After a twenty days absencein St. Louis, pleasantly spent with my family, I returned to Sheridan, and there learned that my mule and horse had been seized by thegovernment. 

It seems that the quartermaster's agent at Sheridan had reported toGeneral Bankhead, commanding Fort Wallace, and to Captain Laufer, thequartermaster, that I had left the country and had sold a governmenthorse and mule to Mr. Perry, and of course Captain Laufer took possessionof the animals and threatened to have Perry arrested for buyinggovernment property. Perry explained to him the facts in the case andsaid that I would return in a few days; but the captain would pay noattention to his statements. 

I immediately went over to the office of the quartermaster's agent, andhad Perry point him out to me. I at once laid hold of him, and in ashort time had treated him to just such a thrashing as his contemptiblelie deserved. 

He then mounted a horse, rode to Fort Wallace, and reported me to GeneralBankhead and Captain Laufer, and obtained a guard to return with andprotect him. 

The next morning I secured a horse from Perry, and proceeding to FortWallace demanded my horse and mule from General Bankhead, on the groundthat they were quartermaster Hays' property and belonged to GeneralCarr's command, and that I had obtained permission to ride them toSheridan and back. General Bankhead, in a gruff manner ordered me out ofhis office and off the reservation, saying that if I didn't take ahurried departure he would have me forcibly put out. I told him to do itand be hanged; I might have used a stronger expression, and upon secondthought, I believe I did. I next interviewed Captain Laufer and demandedof him also the horse and mule, as I was responsible for them toQuartermaster Hays. Captain Laufer intimated that I was a liar and that Ihad disposed of the animals. Hot words ensued between us, and he tooordered me to leave the post. I replied that General Bankhead hadcommanded me to do the same thing, but that I had not yet gone; and thatI did not propose to obey any orders of an inferior officer. 

Seeing that it was of no use to make any further effort to get possessionof the animals I rode back to Sheridan, and just as I reached there I metthe quartermaster's agent coming out from supper, with his head tied up. It occurred to me that he had not received more than one half thepunishment justly due him, and that now would be a good time to give himthe balance--so I carried the idea into immediate execution. Afterfinishing the job in good style, I informed him that he could not stay inthat town while I remained there, and convinced him that Sheridan was notlarge enough to hold us both at the same time; he accordingly left theplace and again went to Fort Wallace, this time reporting to GeneralBankhead that I had driven him away, and had threatened to kill him. 

That night while sleeping at the Perry House, I was awakened by a tap onthe shoulder and upon looking up I was considerably surprised to see theroom filled with armed negroes who had their guns all pointed at me. Thefirst words I heard came from the sergeant, who said:

"Now look a-heah, Massa Bill, ef you makes a move we'll blow you off defarm, shuah!" Just then Captain Ezekiel entered and ordered the soldiersto stand back. 

"Captain, what does this mean?" I asked. 

"I am sorry, Bill, but I have been ordered by General Bankhead to arrestyou and bring you to Fort Wallace, " said he. 

"That's all right, " said I, "but you could have made the arrest alone, without having brought the whole Thirty-eighth Infantry with you. " "Iknow that, Bill, " replied the Captain, "but as you've not been in verygood humor for the last day or two, I didn't know how you would act. "

I hastily dressed, and accompanied Captain Ezekiel to Fort Wallace, arriving there at two o'clock in the morning. 

"Bill, I am really sorry, " said Captain Ezekiel, as we alighted, "but Ihave orders to place you in the guard-house, and I must perform my duty. "

"Very well, Captain; I don't blame you a bit, " said I; and into theguard-house I went as a prisoner for the first and only time in my life. The sergeant of the--guard who was an old friend of mine, belonging toCaptain Graham's company, which was stationed there at the time--did notput me into a cell, but kindly allowed me to stay in his room and occupyhis bed, and in a few minutes I was snoring away as if nothing unusualhad occurred. 

Shortly after _reveille_ Captain Graham called to see me. He thought itwas a shame for me to be in the guard-house, and said that he wouldinterview General Bankhead in my behalf as soon as he got up. The Captainhad a nice breakfast prepared for me, and then departed. At guard-mount Iwas not sent for, contrary to my expectations, and thereupon I had wordconveyed to Captain Graham, who was officer of the day, that I wanted tosee General Bankhead. The Captain informed me that the General absolutelyrefused to hold any conversation whatever with me. 

At this time there was no telegraph line between Fort Wallace and FortLyon, and therefore it was impossible for me to telegraph to GeneralCarr, and I determined to send a dispatch direct to General Sheridan. Iaccordingly wrote out a long telegram informing him of my difficulty, and had it taken to the telegraph office for transmission; but theoperator, instead of sending it at once as he should have done, showedit to General Bankhead, who tore it up, and instructed the operator notto pay any attention to what I might say, as he was running that post. Thinking it very strange that I received no answer during the day Iwent to the telegraph office, accompanied by a guard, and learned fromthe operator what he had done. "See here, my young friend, " said I, "this is a public telegraph line, and I want my telegram sent, orthere'll be trouble. "

I re-wrote my dispatch and handed it to him, accompanied with the moneyto pay for the transmission, saying, as I did so: "Young man, I wish thattelegram sent direct to Chicago. You know it is your duty to send it, andit must go. "

He knew very well that he was compelled to transmit the message, butbefore doing so he called on General Bankhead and informed him of what Ihad said, and told him that he would certainly have to send it, for if hedidn't he might lose his position. The General, seeing that the telegramwould have to go, summoned me to his headquarters, and the first thing hesaid, after I got into his presence was:

"If I let you go, sir, will you leave the post at once and not bother myagent at Sheridan again?"

"No, sir;" I replied, "I'll do nothing of the kind. I'll remain in theguard-house until I receive an answer from General Sheridan. "

"If I give you the horse and mule will you proceed at once to Fort Lyon?"

"No, sir; I have some bills to settle at Sheridan and some other businessto transact, " replied I. 

"Well, sir; will you at least agree not to interfere any further with thequartermaster's agent at Sheridan?"

"I shall not bother him any more, sir, as I have had all I want fromhim, " was my answer. 

General Bankhead thereupon sent for Captain Laufer and ordered him toturn the horse and mule over to me. In a few minutes more I was on my wayto Sheridan, and after settling my business there, I proceeded to FortLyon, arriving two days afterwards. I related my adventures to GeneralCarr, Major Brown, and other officers, who were greatly amused thereby. 

"I'm glad you've come, Bill, " said General Carr, "as I have beenwanting you for the last two weeks. While we have been at this postseveral valuable animals, as well as a large number of governmenthorses and mules have been stolen, and we think that the thieves arestill in the vicinity of the fort, but as yet we have been unable todiscover their rendezvous. I have had a party out for the last few daysin the neighborhood of old Fort Lyon, and they have found fresh tracksdown there and seem to think that the stock is concealed somewhere inthe timber, along the Arkansas river. Bill Green, one of the scouts whohas just come up from there, can perhaps tell you something more aboutthe matter. "

Green, who had been summoned, said that he had discovered fresh trailsbefore striking the heavy timber opposite old Fort Lyon, but that in thetall grass he could not follow them. He had marked the place where he hadlast seen fresh mule tracks, so that he could find it again. 

"Now, Cody, you're just the person we want, " said the General. 

"Very well, I'll get a fresh mount, and to-morrow I'll go down and seewhat I can discover, " said I. 

"You had better take two men besides Green, and a pack mule with eight orten days' rations, " suggested the General, "so that if you find the trailyou can follow it up, as I am very anxious to get back this stolenproperty. The scoundrels have taken one of my private horses and alsoLieutenant Forbush's favorite little black race mule. "

Next morning I started out after the horse-thieves, being accompanied byGreen, Jack Farley, and another scout. The mule track, marked by Green, was easily found, and with very little difficulty I followed it for abouttwo miles into the timber and came upon a place where, as I could plainlysee from numerous signs, quite a number of head of stock had been tiedamong the trees and kept for several days. This was evidently the spotwhere the thieves had been hiding their stolen stock until they hadaccumulated quite a herd. From this point it was difficult to trailthem, as they had taken the stolen animals out of the timber one by oneand in different directions, thus showing that they were experts at thebusiness and experienced frontiersmen, for no Indian could have exhibitedmore cunning in covering up a trail than did they. 

I abandoned the idea of following their trail in this immediate locality, so calling my men together, I told them that we would ride out for aboutfive miles and make a complete circuit about the place, and in this waywe would certainly find the trail on which they had moved out. Whilemaking the circuit we discovered the tracks of twelve animals--four mulesand eight horses--in the edge of some sand-hills, and from this point wehad no trouble in trailing them down the Arkansas river, which they hadcrossed at Sand Creek, and then had gone up the latter stream, in thedirection of Denver, to which place they were undoubtedly bound. Whennearing Denver their trail became so obscure that we at last lost it; butby inquiring of the settlers along the road which they had taken, weoccasionally heard of them. 

When within four miles of Denver--this was on a Thursday--we learned thatthe horse-thieves had passed there two days before. I came to theconclusion they would attempt to dispose of the animals in Denver, andbeing aware that Saturday was the great auction day there, I thought itbest to remain where we were at a hotel, and not go into the city untilthat day. It certainly would not have been advisable for me to have goneinto Denver meantime--because I was well-known there, and if the thieveshad learned of my presence in the city they would at once have suspectedmy business. 

Early Saturday morning, we rode into town and stabled our horses at theElephant Corral. I secured a room from Ed. Chase, overlooking the corral, and then took up my post of observation. I did not have long to wait, fora man, whom I readily recognized as one of our old packers, rode into thecorral mounted upon Lieutenant Forbush's racing mule, and leading anothergovernment mule, which I also identified. It had been recently branded, and over the "U. S. " was a plain "D. B. " I waited for the man's companionto put in an appearance, but he did not come, and my conclusion was thathe was secreted outside of the city with the rest of the animals. 

Presently the black mule belonging to Forbush was put up at auction. Now, thought I, is the time to do my work. So, walking through the crowd, whowere bidding for the mule, I approached the man who had offered him forsale. He recognized me and endeavored to escape, but I seized him by theshoulder, saying: "I guess, my friend, that you'll have to go with me. Ifyou make any resistance, I'll shoot you on the spot. " He was armed with apair of pistols, which I took away from him. Then informing theauctioneer that I was a United States detective, and showing him--as wellas an inquisitive officer--my commission as such, I told him to stop thesale, as the mule was stolen property, and that I had arrested the thief, whose name was Williams. 

Farley and Green, who were near at hand, now came forward, and togetherwe took the prisoner and the mules three miles down the Platte River;there, in a thick bunch of timber, we all dismounted and madepreparations to hang Williams from a limb, if he did not tell us wherehis partner was. At first he denied knowing anything about any partner, or any other stock; but when he saw that we were in earnest, and wouldhang him at the end of the given time--five minutes--unless he"squealed, " he told us that his "pal" was at an unoccupied house threemiles further down the river. 

We immediately proceeded to the spot indicated, and as we came withinsight of the house we saw our stock grazing near by. Just as we rode upto the door, another one of our old packers, whom I recognized as BillBevins, stepped to the front, and I covered him instantly with my riflebefore he could draw his revolver. I ordered him to throw up his hands, and he obeyed the command. Green then disarmed him and brought him out. We looked through the house and found their saddles, pack-saddles, blankets, overcoats, lariats and two Henry rifles, which we tookpossession of. The horses and mules we tied in a bunch, and with thewhole outfit we returned to Denver, where we lodged Williams and Bevinsin jail, in charge of my friend, Sheriff Edward Cook. The next day wetook them out, and, tying each one on a mule, we struck out on our returntrip to Fort Lyon. 

At the hotel outside the city, where we had stopped on Thursday andFriday, we were joined by our man with the pack-mule. That night wecamped on Cherry Creek, seventeen miles from Denver. The weather--itbeing in April--was cold and stormy, but we found a warm and cosycamping place in a bend of the creek. We made our beds in a row, with ourfeet towards the fire. The prisoners so far had appeared very docile, andhad made no attempt to escape, and therefore I did not think it necessaryto hobble them. We made them sleep on the inside, and it was so arrangedthat some one of us should be on guard all the time. 

At about one o'clock in the night it began snowing, while I was watching. Shortly before three o'clock, Jack Farley, who was then on guard, andsitting on the foot of the bed, with his back to the prisoners, waskicked clear into the fire by Williams, and the next moment Bevins, whohad got hold of his shoes--which I had thought were out of hisreach--sprang up and jumped over the fire, and started on a run. I sent ashot after him as soon as I awoke sufficiently to comprehend what wastaking place. Williams attempted to follow him, and as he did so, Iwhirled around and knocked him down with my revolver. Farley by this timehad gathered himself out of the fire, and Green had started after Bevins, firing at him on the run; but the prisoner made his escape into thebrush. In his flight, unfortunately for him, and luckily for us, hedropped one of his shoes. 

Leaving Williams in the charge of Farley and "Long Doc, " as we calledthe man with the pack-mule, Green and myself struck out after Bevins asfast as possible. We heard him breaking through the brush, but knowingthat it would be useless to follow him on foot, we went back to the campand saddled up two of the fastest horses, and at daylight we struck outon his trail, which was plainly visible in the snow. He had got an hourand a half the start of us. His tracks led us in the direction of themountains and the South Platte River, and as the country through which hewas passing was covered with prickly pears, we knew that he could notescape stepping on them with his one bare foot, and hence we were likelyto overtake him in a short time. We could see, however, from the longjumps that he was taking, that he was making excellent time, but wefrequently noticed, after we had gone some distance, that the pricklypears and stones along his route were cutting his bare foot, as nearlyevery track of it was spotted with blood. 

We had run our horses some twelve miles when we saw Bevins crossing aridge about two miles ahead. Urging our horses up to their utmost speed, we reached the ridge just as he was descending the divide towards theSouth Platte, which stream was very deep and swift at this point. Itbecame evident that if he should cross it ahead of us, he would have agood chance of making his escape. So pushing our steeds as fast aspossible, we rapidly gained on him, and when within a hundred yards ofhim I cried to him to halt or I would shoot. Knowing I was a good shot, he stopped, and, coolly sitting down, waited till we came up. 

"Bevins, you've given us a good run, " said I. 

"Yes, " said he, "and if I had had fifteen minutes more of a start andgot across the Platte, I would have laughed at the idea of your evercatching me. "

Bevin's run was the most remarkable feat of the kind ever known, eitherof a white man, or an Indian. A man who could run bare-footed in thesnow eighteen miles through a prickly pear patch, was certainly a"tough one, " and that's the kind of a person Bill Bevins was. Uponlooking at his bleeding foot I really felt sorry for him. He asked mefor my knife, and I gave him my sharp-pointed bowie, with which he dugthe prickly pear briars out of his foot. I considered him as "game" aman as I had ever met. 

"Bevins, I have got to take you back, " said I, "but as you can't walkwith that foot, you can ride my horse and I'll foot it. "

We accordingly started back for our camp, with Bevins on my horse, whichwas led either by Green or myself, as we alternately rode the otherhorse. We kept a close watch on Bevins, for we had ample proof that heneeded watching. His wounded foot must have pained him terribly but not aword of complaint escaped him. On arriving at the camp we found Williamsbound as we had left him and he seemed sorry that we had captured Bevins. 

[Illustration: THE RECAPTURE OF BEVINS. ]

After breakfasting we resumed our journey, and nothing worth of noteagain occurred until we reached the Arkansas river, where we found avacant cabin and at once took possession of it for the night. There wasno likelihood of Bevins again trying to escape, for his foot had swollento an enormous size, and was useless. Believing that Williams could notescape from the cabin, we unbound him. We then went to sleep, leavingLong Doc on guard, the cabin being comfortably warmed and well lighted bythe fire. It was a dark, stormy night--so dark that you could hardly seeyour hand before you. At about ten o'clock, Williams asked Long Doc toallow him to step to the door for a moment. 

Long Doc, who had his revolver in his hand, did not think it necessary towake us up, and believing that he could take care of the prisoner, hegranted his request. Williams thereupon walked to the outer edge of thedoor, while Long Doc, revolver in hand, was watching him from the inside. Suddenly Williams made a spring to the right, and before Doc could evenraise his revolver, he had dodged around the house. Doc jumped after him, and fired just as he turned a corner, the report bringing us all to ourfeet, and in an instant we knew what had happened. I at once coveredBevins with my revolver, but as I saw that he could hardly stir, and wasmaking no demonstration, I lowered the weapon. Just then Doc came inswearing "a blue streak, " and announced that Williams had escaped. Therewas nothing for us to do except to gather our horses close to the cabinand stand guard over them for the rest of the night, to prevent thepossibility of Williams sneaking up and stealing one of them. That wasthe last I ever saw or heard of Williams. 

We finally got back to Fort Lyon with Bevins, and General Carr, to whom Iimmediately reported, complimented us highly on the success of our trip, notwithstanding we had lost one prisoner. The next day we took Bevins toBoggs' ranch on Picket Wire Creek, and there turned him over to the civilauthorities, who put him in a log jail to await his trial. He never wastried, however, for he soon made his escape, as I expected he would do. Iheard no more of him until 1872, when I learned that he was skirmishingaround on Laramie Plains at his old tricks. He sent word by the gentlemanfrom whom I gained this information, that if he ever met me again hewould kill me on sight. He finally was arrested and convicted forrobbery, and was confined in the prison at Laramie City. Again he madehis escape, and soon afterwards he organized a desperate gang of outlawswho infested the country north of the Union Pacific railroad, and whenthe stages began to run between Cheyenne and Deadwood, in the BlackHills, they robbed the coaches and passengers, frequently making largehauls of plunder. They kept this up for some time, till finally most ofthe gang were caught, tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary fora number of years. Bill Bevins and nearly all of his gang are nowconfined in the Nebraska state prison, to which they were transferred, from Wyoming. 

[Illustration: ROBBING A STAGE COACH. ]

CHAPTER XXI. 

A MILITARY EXPEDITION. 

A day or two after my return to Fort Lyon, the Fifth Cavalry were orderedto the Department of the Platte, and took up their line of march for FortMcPherson, Nebraska. We laid over one day at Fort Wallace, to getsupplies, and while there I had occasion to pass General Bankhead'sheadquarters. His orderly called to me, and said the General wished tosee me. As I entered the General's office he extended his hand and said:"I hope you have no hard feelings toward me, Cody, for having youarrested when you were here. I have just had a talk with General Carr andQuartermaster Hays, and they informed me that you had their permission toride the horse and mule, and if you had stated this fact to me therewould have been no trouble about the matter whatever. " "That is allright, General, " said I; "I will think no more of it. But I don't believethat your quartermaster's agent will ever again circulate false storiesabout me. "

"No, " said the General; "he has not yet recovered from the beating thatyou gave him. "

From Fort Wallace we moved down to Sheridan, where the command halted forus to lay in a supply of forage which was stored there. I was stillmessing with Major Brown, with whom I went into the village to purchase asupply of provisions for our mess; but unfortunately we were in too jollya mood to fool away money on "grub. " We bought several articles, however, and put them into the ambulance and sent them back to the camp with ourcook. The Major and myself did not return until _reveille_ next morning. Soon afterwards the General sounded "boots and saddles, " and presentlythe regiment was on its way to McPherson. 

It was very late before we went into camp that night, and we were tiredand hungry. Just as Major Brown was having his tent put up, his cookcame to us and asked where the provisions were that we had bought theday before. 

"Why, did we not give them to you--did you not bring them to camp in theambulance?" asked Major Brown. 

"No, sir; it was only a five-gallon demijohn of whiskey, a five-gallondemijohn of brandy, and two cases of Old Tom-Cat gin, " said the cook. 

"The mischief!" I exclaimed; "didn't we spend any money on grub at all?"

"No, sir, " replied the cook. 

"Well, that will do for the present, " said Major Brown. 

It seems that our minds had evidently been running on a different subjectthan provisions while we were loitering in Sheridan, and we foundourselves, with a two hundred and fifty mile march ahead of us, withoutanything more inviting than ordinary army rations. 

At this juncture Captain Denny came up, and the Major apologized for notbeing able to invite him to take supper with us; but we did the next bestthing, and asked him to take a drink. He remarked that that was what hewas looking for, and when he learned of our being out of commissarysupplies, and that we had bought nothing except whiskey, brandy and gin, he said, joyously:

"Boys, as we have an abundance, you can eat with us, and we will drinkwith you. "

It was a satisfactory arrangement, and from that time forward we tradedour liquids for their solids. When the rest of the officers heard of whatBrown and I had done, they all sent us invitations to dine with them atany time. We returned the compliment by inviting them to drink with uswhenever they were dry. Although I would not advise anybody to follow ourexample, yet it is a fact that we got more provisions for our whiskeythan the same money, which we paid for the liquor, would have bought; soafter all it proved a very profitable investment. 

On reaching the north fork of the Beaver and riding down the valleytowards the stream, I suddenly discovered a large fresh Indian trail. Onexamination I found it to be scattered all over the valley on both sidesof the creek, as if a very large village had recently passed down thatway. Judging from the size of the trail, I thought there could not beless than four hundred lodges, or between twenty-five hundred and threethousand warriors, women and children in the band. I galloped hack to thecommand, distant about three miles, and reported the news to GeneralCarr, who halted the regiment, and, after consulting a few minutes, ordered me to select a ravine, or as low ground as possible, so that hecould keep the troops out of sight until we could strike the creek. 

We went into camp on the Beaver, and the General ordered Lieutenant Wardto take twelve men and myself and follow up the trail for several miles, and find out how fast the Indians were traveling. I was soon convinced, by the many camps they had made, that they were traveling slowly, andhunting as they journeyed. We went down the Beaver on this scout abouttwelve miles, keeping our horses well concealed under the banks of thecreek, so as not to be discovered. 

At this point, Lieutenant Ward and myself, leaving our horses behind us, crawled to the top of a high knoll, where we could have a good view forsome miles distant down the stream. We peeped over the summit of thehill, and not over three miles away we could see a whole Indian villagein plain sight, and thousands of ponies grazing around on the prairie. Looking over to our left on the opposite side of the creek, we observedtwo or three parties of Indians coming in, loaded down with buffalo meat. 

"This is no place for us, Lieutenant, " said I; "I think we have importantbusiness at the camp to attend to as soon as possible. "

"I agree with you, " said he, "and the quicker we get there the better itwill be for us. "

We quickly descended the hill and joined the men below. LieutenantWard hurriedly wrote a note to General Carr, and handing it to acorporal, ordered him to make all possible haste back to the commandand deliver the message. The man started off on a gallop, andLieutenant Ward said: "We will march slowly back until we meet thetroops, as I think the General will soon be here, for he will startimmediately upon receiving my note. "

In a few minutes we heard two or three shots in the direction in whichour dispatch courier had gone, and soon after we saw him come flyingaround the bend of the creek, pursued by four or five Indians. TheLieutenant, with his squad of soldiers and myself, at once charged uponthem, when they turned and ran across the stream. 

"This will not do, " said Lieutenant Ward, "the whole Indian village willnow know that soldiers are near by. 

"Lieutenant, give me that note, and I will take it to theGeneral, " said I. 

He gladly handed me the dispatch, and spurring my horse I dashed up thecreek. After having ridden a short distance, I observed another party ofIndians also going to the village with meat; but instead of waiting forthem to fire upon me, I gave them a shot at long range. Seeing one manfiring at them so boldly, it surprised them, and they did not know whatto make of it. While they were thus considering, I got between them andour camp. By this time they had recovered from their surprise, and, cutting their buffalo meat loose from their horses, they came after me atthe top of their speed; but as their steeds were tired out, it did nottake me long to leave them far in the rear. 

I reached the command in less than an hour, delivered the dispatch toGeneral Carr, and informed him of what I had seen. He instantly had thebugler sound "boots and saddles, " and all the troops--with the exceptionof two companies, which we left to guard the train--were soon gallopingin the direction of the Indian camp. 

We had ridden about three miles when we met Lieutenant Ward, who wascoming slowly towards us. He reported that he had run into a party ofIndian buffalo-hunters, and had killed one of the number, and had hadone of his horses wounded. We immediately pushed forward and aftermarching about five miles came within sight of hundreds of mountedIndians advancing up the creek to meet us. They formed a complete linein front of us. General Carr, being desirous of striking their village, ordered the troops to charge, break through their line, and keepstraight on. This movement would, no doubt, have been successfullyaccomplished had it not been for the rattle-brained and dare-devilFrench Lieutenant Schinosky, commanding Company B, who, misunderstandingGeneral Carr's orders, charged upon some Indians at the left, while therest of the command dashed through the enemy's line, and was keepingstraight on, when it was observed that Schinosky and his company weresurrounded by four or five hundred red-skins. The General, to save thecompany, was obliged to sound a halt and charge back to the rescue. Thecompany, during this short fight, had several men and quite a number ofhorses killed. 

All this took up valuable time, and night was coming on. The Indians werefighting desperately to keep us from reaching their village, which beinginformed by couriers of what was taking place, was packing up and gettingaway. During that afternoon it was all we could do to hold our own infighting the mounted warriors, who were in our front and contesting everyinch of the ground. The General had left word for our wagon train tofollow up with its escort of two companies, but as it had not made itsappearance he entertained some fears that it had been surrounded, and toprevent the possible loss of the supply train we had to go back and lookfor it. About 9 o'clock that evening we found it, and went into camp forthe night. 

Next morning we passed down the creek and there was not an Indian to beseen. They had all disappeared and gone on with their village. Two milesfurther on we came to where a village had been located, and here we foundnearly everything belonging or pertaining to an Indian camp, which hadbeen left in the great hurry to get away. These articles were allgathered up and burned. We then pushed out on the trail as fast aspossible. It led us to the northeast towards the Republican; but as theIndians had a night the start of us we entertained but little hope ofovertaking them that day. Upon reaching the Republican in the afternoonthe General called a halt, and as the trail was running more to the east, he concluded to send his wagon train on to Fort McPherson by the mostdirect route, while he would follow on the trail of the red-skins. 

Next morning at daylight we again pulled out and were evidently gainingrapidly on the Indians for we could occasionally see them in thedistance. About 11 o'clock that day while Major Babcock was ahead of themain command with his company, and while we were crossing a deep ravine, we were surprised by about three hundred warriors who commenced a livelyfire upon us. Galloping out of the ravine on to the rough prairie the mendismounted and returned the fire. We soon succeeded in driving the enemybefore us, and were so close upon them at one time, that they abandonedand threw away nearly all their lodges and camp equipages, and everythingthat had any considerable weight. They left behind them their played-outhorses, and for miles we could see Indian furniture strewn along in everydirection. The trail became divided, and the Indians scattered in smallbodies, all over the prairie. As night was approaching and our horseswere about giving out, a halt was called. A company was detailed tocollect all the Indian horses running loose over the country, and to burnthe other Indian property. 

The command being nearly out of rations I was sent to the nearest point, Old Fort Kearney, about sixty miles distant for supplies. 

Shortly after we reached Fort McPherson, which continued to be theheadquarters of the Fifth Cavalry for some time. We remained there forten days, fitting out for a new expedition to the Republican rivercountry, and were reinforced by three companies of the celebrated PawneeIndian scouts, commanded by Major Frank North; his officers being CaptainLute North, brother of the Major, Captain Cushing, his brother-in-law, Captain Morse, and Lieutenants Beecher, Matthews and Kislandberry. General Carr recommended at this time to General Augur, who was incommand of the Department, that I be made chief of scouts in theDepartment of the Platte, and informed me that in this position I wouldreceive higher wages than I had been getting in the Department of theMissouri. This appointment I had not asked for. 

I made the acquaintance of Major Frank North, [B] and I found him, and hisofficers, perfect gentlemen, and we were all good friends from the verystart. The Pawnee scouts had made quite a reputation for themselves asthey had performed brave and valuable services, in fighting against theSioux, whose bitter enemies they were; being thoroughly acquainted withthe Republican and Beaver country, I was glad that they were to be withthe expedition, and they did good service. 

[Footnote B: Major North is now my partner in a cattle ranch inNebraska. ]

During our stay at Fort McPherson I made the acquaintance of LieutenantGeorge P. Belden, known as the "White Chief, " whose life was written byColonel Brisbin, U. S. Army. I found him to be an intelligent, dashingfellow, a splendid rider and an excellent shot. An hour after ourintroduction he challenged me for a rifle match, the preliminaries ofwhich were soon arranged. We were to shoot ten shots each for fiftydollars, at two hundred yards, off hand. Belden was to use a Henry rifle, while I was to shoot my old "Lucretia. " This match I won and then Beldenproposed to shoot a one hundred yard match, as I was shooting over hisdistance. In this match Belden was victorious. We were now even, and westopped right there. 

While we were at this post General Augur and several of his officers, andalso Thomas Duncan, Brevet Brigadier and Lieutenant Colonel of the FifthCavalry, paid us a visit for the purpose of reviewing the command. Theregiment turned out in fine style and showed themselves to be welldrilled soldiers, thoroughly understanding military tactics. The Pawneescouts were also reviewed and it was very amusing to see them in theirfull regulation uniform. They had been furnished a regular cavalryuniform and on this parade some of them had their heavy overcoats on, others their large black hats, with all the brass accoutrements attached;some of them were minus pantaloons and only wore a breech clout. Otherswore regulation pantaloons but no shirts on and were bareheaded; othersagain had the seat of the pantaloons cut out, leaving only leggins; someof them wore brass spurs, but had no boots or moccasins on. They seemedto understand the drill remarkably well for Indians. The commands, ofcourse, were given to them in their own language by Major North, whocould talk it as well as any full-blooded Pawnee. The Indians were wellmounted and felt proud and elated because they had been made UnitedStates soldiers. Major North, has had for years complete power over theseIndians and can do more with them than any man living. That evening afterthe parade was over the officers and quite a number of ladies visited agrand Indian dance given by the Pawnees, and of all the Indians I haveseen, their dances excel those of any other tribe. 

Next day the command started; when encamped, several days after, on theRepublican river near the mouth of the Beaver, we heard the whoops ofIndians, followed by shots in the vicinity of the mule herd, which hadbeen taken down to water. One of the herders came dashing into camp withan arrow sticking into him. My horse was close at hand, and, mounting himbare-back, I at once dashed off after the mule herd, which had beenstampeded. I supposed certainly that I would be the first man on theground. I was mistaken, however, for the Pawnee Indians, unlike regularsoldiers, had not waited to receive orders from their officers, but hadjumped on their ponies without bridles or saddles, and placing ropes intheir mouths, had dashed off in the direction whence the shots had come, and had got there ahead of me. It proved to be a party of about fiftySioux, who had endeavored to stampede our mules, and it took them bysurprise to see their inveterate enemies--the Pawnees--coming at fullgallop towards them. They were not aware that the Pawnees were with thecommand, and as they knew that it would take regular soldiers sometime toturn out, they thought they would have ample opportunity to secure theherd before the troops could give chase. 

We had a running fight of fifteen miles, and several of the enemy werekilled. During this chase I was mounted on an excellent horse, whichColonel Royal had picked out for me, and for the first mile or two I wasin advance of the Pawnees. Presently a Pawnee shot by me like an arrowand I could not help admiring the horse that he was riding. Seeing thathe possessed rare running qualities, I determined if possible to getpossession of the animal in some way. It was a large buckskin or yellowhorse, and I took a careful view of him so that I would know him when Ireturned to camp. 

After the chase was over I rode up to Major North and inquired about thebuckskin horse. 

"Oh yes, " said the Major, "that is one of our favorite steeds. "

"What chance is there to trade for him?" I asked. 

"It is a government horse, " said he, "and the Indian who is riding him isvery much attached to the animal. "

"I have fallen in love with the horse myself, " said I, "and I would liketo know if you have any objections to my trading for him if I can arrangeit satisfactorily with the Indian?"

He said: "None whatever, and I will help you to do it; you can give theIndian another horse in his place. "

A few days after this, I persuaded the Indian, by making him severalpresents, to trade horses with me, and in this way I became the owner ofthe buckskin steed, not as my own property, however, but as a governmenthorse that I could ride. I gave him the name of "Buckskin Joe" and heproved to be a second Brigham. That horse I rode on and off during thesummers of 1869, 1870, 1871 and 1872, and he was the horse that the GrandDuke Alexis rode on his buffalo hunt. In the winter of 1872, after I hadleft Fort McPherson, Buckskin Joe was condemned and sold at public sale, and was bought by Dave Perry, at North Platte, who in 1877 presented himto me, and I still own him. He is now at my ranch on the Dismal river, stone blind, but I shall keep him until he dies. 

The command scouted several days up the Beaver and Prairie Dog rivers, occasionally having running fights with war parties of Indians, but didnot succeed in getting them into a general battle. At the end of twentydays we found ourselves back on the Republican. 

Hitherto the Pawnees had not taken much interest in me, but while at thiscamp I gained their respect and admiration by showing them how I killedbuffaloes. Although the Pawnees were excellent buffalo killers, forIndians, I have never seen one of them who could kill more than four orfive in one run. A number of them generally surround the herd and thendash in upon them, and in this way each one kills from one to fourbuffaloes. I had gone out in company with Major North and some of theofficers, and saw them make a "surround. " Twenty of the Pawnees circled aherd and succeeded in killing only thirty-two. 

"While they were cutting up the animals another herd appeared in sight. The Indians were preparing to surround it, when I asked Major North tokeep them back and let me show them what I could do. He accordinglyinformed the Indians of my wish and they readily consented to let me havethe opportunity. I had learned that Buckskin Joe was an excellent buffalohorse, and felt confident that I would astonish the natives; galloping inamong the buffaloes, I certainly did so by killing thirty-six in lessthan a half-mile run. At nearly every shot I killed a buffalo, stringingthe dead animals out on the prairie, not over fifty feet apart. Thismanner of killing was greatly admired by the Indians who called me a bigchief, and from that time on, I stood high in their estimation. "

CHAPTER XXII. 

A DESPERATE FIGHT. 

On leaving camp, the command took a westward course up the Republican, and Major North with two companies of his Pawnees and two or threecompanies of cavalry, under the command of Colonel Royal, made a scout tothe north of the river. Shortly after we had gone into camp, on the BlackTail Deer Fork, we observed a band of Indians coming over the prairie atfull gallop, singing and yelling and waving their lances and long poles. At first we supposed them to be Sioux, and all was excitement for a fewmoments. We noticed, however, that our Pawnee Indians made no hostiledemonstrations or preparations towards going out to fight them, but beganswinging and yelling themselves. Captain Lute North stepped up to GeneralCarr and said:

"General, those are our men who are coming, and they have had a fight. That is the way they act when they come back from a battle and have takenany scalps. "

The Pawnees came into camp on the run. Captain North calling to one ofthem--a sergeant--soon found out that they had run across a party ofSioux who were following a large Indian trail. These Indians hadevidently been in a fight, for two or three of them had been wounded andthey were conveying the injured persons on _travois_. The Pawnees had"jumped" them and had killed three or four more of them. 

Next morning the command, at an early hour, started out to take up thisIndian trail which they followed for two days as rapidly as possible; itbecoming evident from the many camp fires which we passed, that we weregaining on the Indians. Wherever they had encamped we found the print ofa woman's shoe, and we concluded that they had with them some whitecaptive. This made us all the more anxious to overtake them, and GeneralCarr accordingly selected all his best horses, which could stand a hardrun, and gave orders for the wagon train to follow as fast as possible, while he pushed ahead on a forced march. At the same time I was orderedto pick out five or six of the best Pawnees, and go on in advance of thecommand, keeping ten or twelve miles ahead on the trail, so that when weovertook the Indians we could find out the location of their camp, andsend word to the troops before they came in sight, thus affording ampletime to arrange a plan for the capture of the village. 

After having gone about ten miles in advance of the regiment, we beganto move very cautiously, as we were now evidently nearing the Indians. Welooked carefully over the summits of the hills before exposing ourselvesto plain view, and at last we discovered the village, encamped in thesand-hills south of the South Platte river at Summit Springs. Here I leftthe Pawnee scouts to keep watch, while I went back and informed GeneralCarr that the Indians were in sight. 

The General at once ordered his men to tighten their saddles andotherwise prepare for action. Soon all was excitement among the officersand soldiers, every one being anxious to charge the village. I nowchanged my horse for old Buckskin Joe, who had been led for me thus far, and was comparatively fresh. Acting on my suggestion, the General made acircuit to the north, believing that if the Indians had their scouts out, they would naturally be watching in the direction whence they had come. When we had passed the Indians and were between them and the Platteriver, we turned to the left and started toward the village. 

By this manoeuver we had avoided discovery by the Sioux scouts, and wewere confident of giving them a complete surprise. Keeping the commandwholly out of sight, until we were within a mile of the Indians, theGeneral halted the advance guard until all closed up, and then issued anorder, that, when he sounded the charge, the whole command was to rushinto the village. 

As we halted on the top of the hill overlooking the camp of theunsuspecting Indians, General Carr called out to his bugler: "Sound thecharge!" The bugler for a moment became intensely excited, and actuallyforgot the notes. The General again sang out: "Sound the charge!" andyet the bugler was unable to obey the command. Quartermaster Hays--whohad obtained permission to accompany the expedition--was riding nearthe General, and comprehending the dilemma of the man, rushed up tohim, jerked the bugle from his hands and sounded the charge himself inclear and distinct notes. As the troops rushed forward, he threw thebugle away, then drawing his pistols, was among the first men thatentered the village. 

The Indians had just driven up their horses and were preparing to make amove of the camp, when they saw the soldiers coming down upon them. Agreat many of them succeeded in jumping upon their ponies, and, leavingevery thing behind them, advanced out of the village and prepared to meetthe charge; but upon second thought they quickly concluded that it wasuseless to try to check us, and, those who were mounted rapidly rodeaway, while the others on foot fled for safety to the neighboring hills. We went through their village shooting right and left at everything wesaw. The Pawnees, the regular soldiers and the officers were all mixed uptogether, and the Sioux were flying in every direction. 

General Carr had instructed the command that when they entered thevillage, they must keep a sharp look out for white women, as he wasconfident the Indians had some captives. The company which had beenordered to take possession of the village after its capture, soon foundtwo white women, one of whom had just been killed and the other wounded. They were both Swedes, and the survivor could not talk English. ASwedish soldier, however, was soon found who could talk with her. Thename of this woman was Mrs. Weichel, and her story as told to thesoldier was, that as soon as the Indians saw the troops coming down uponthem, a squaw--Tall Bull's wife--had killed Mrs. Alderdice, the othercaptive, with a hatchet, and then wounded her. This squaw had evidentlyintended to kill both women to prevent them from telling how cruellythey had been treated. 

[Illustration: INDIAN VILLAGE. ]

The attack lasted but a short time, and the Indians were driven severalmiles away. The soldiers then gathered in the herd of Indian horses, which were running at large over the country and drove them back to thecamp. After taking a survey of what we had accomplished, it was foundthat we had killed about one hundred and forty Indians, and captured onehundred and twenty squaws and papooses, two hundred lodges, and eighthundred horses and mules. The village proved to be one of the richest Ihad ever seen. The red-skins had everything pertaining to an Indiancamp, besides numerous articles belonging to the white settlers whomthey had killed on the Saline. The Pawnees, as well as the soldiers, ransacked the camp for curiosities, and found enough to start twentymuseums, besides a large amount of gold and silver. This money had beenstolen from the Swedish settlers whom they had murdered on the Saline. General Carr ordered that all the tepees, the Indian lodges, buffalorobes, all camp equipage and provisions, including dried buffalo meat, amounting to several tons, should be gathered in piles and burned. Agrave was dug in which the dead Swedish woman, Mrs. Alderdice, wasburied. Captain Kane, a religious officer, read the burial service, aswe had no chaplain with us. 

While this was going on, the Sioux warriors having recovered from theirsurprise, had come back and a battle took place all around the camp. Iwas on the skirmish line, and I noticed an Indian, who was riding alarge bay horse, and giving orders to his men in his ownlanguage--which I could occasionally understand--telling them that theyhad lost everything, that they were ruined, and he entreated them tofollow him, and fight until they died. His horse was an extraordinaryone, fleet as the wind, dashing here and there, and I determined tocapture him if possible, but I was afraid to fire at the Indian forfear of killing the horse. 

I noticed that the Indian, as he rode around the skirmish line, passedthe head of a ravine not far distant, and it occurred to me that if Icould dismount and creep to the ravine I could, as he passed there, easily drop him from his saddle without danger of hitting the horse. Accordingly I crept into and secreted myself in the ravine, reaching theplace unseen by the Indians, and I waited there until Mr. Chief cameriding by. 

When he was not more than thirty yards distant I fired, and the nextmoment he tumbled from his saddle, and the horse kept on without hisrider. Instead of running toward the Indians, however, he galloped towardour men, by one of whom he was caught. Lieutenant Mason, who had beenvery conspicuous in the fight and who had killed two or three Indianshimself, single-handed, came galloping up to the ravine and jumping fromhis horse, secured the fancy war bonnet from the head of the dead chief, together with all his other accoutrements. We both then rejoined thesoldiers, and I at once went in search of the horse; I found him in thepossession of Sergeant McGrath, who had caught him. The Sergeant knewthat I had been trying to get the animal and having seen me kill hisrider, he handed him over to me at once. 

Little did I think at that time that I had captured a horse which, forfour years afterwards was the fastest runner in the state of Nebraska, but such proved to be the fact. 

[Illustration: THE KILLING OF TALL BULL. ]

I jumped on his back and rode him down to the spot where the prisonerswere corraled. One of the squaws among the prisoners suddenly begancrying in a pitiful and hysterical manner at the sight of this horse, and upon inquiry I found that she was Tall Bull's wife, the same squawthat had killed one of the white women and wounded the other. She statedthat this was her husband's favorite war-horse, and that only a shorttime ago she had seen Tall Bull riding him. I gave her to understandthat her liege lord had passed in his mortal chips and that it would besometime before he would ride his favorite horse again, and I informedher that henceforth I should call the gallant steed "Tall Bull, " inhonor of her husband. 

Late in the evening our wagon train arrived, and placing the woundedwoman, Mrs. Weichel, in the ambulance--she having been kindly attended toby the surgeons, --and gathering up the prisoners--the squaws andpapooses--and captured stock, we started at once for the South PlatteRiver, eight miles distant, and there went into camp. 

Next morning General Carr issued an order that all the money found in thevillage should be turned over to the adjutant. About one thousand dollarswas thus collected, and the entire amount was given to Mrs. Weichel. Thecommand then proceeded to Fort Sedgwick, from which point the particularsof our fight, which took place on Sunday, July 11th, 1869, weretelegraphed to all parts of the country. 

We remained at this post for two weeks, during which General Augur, ofthe Department of the Platte, paid us a visit, and highly complimentedthe command for the gallant service it had performed. For this fight atSummit Springs General Carr and his command were complimented not only inGeneral Orders, but received a vote of thanks from the Legislatures ofNebraska and Colorado--as Tall Bull and his Indians had long been aterror to the border settlements--and the resolutions of thanks wereelegantly engrossed and sent to General Carr. 

The wounded white woman was cared for in the hospital at this post, andafter her recovery she soon married the hospital steward, her formerhusband having been killed by the Indians. 

Our prisoners were sent to the Whetstone Agency, on the Missouri River, where Spotted Tail and the friendly Sioux were then living. Thecaptured horses and mules were distributed among the officers, scoutsand soldiers. Among the animals that I thus obtained were my Tall Bullhorse, and a pony which I called "Powder Face, " and which afterwardsbecame quite celebrated, as he figured prominently in the stories ofNed Buntline. 

One day, while we were lying at Fort Sedgwick, General Carr received atelegram from Fort McPherson stating that the Indians had made a dash onthe Union Pacific Railroad, and had killed several section-men and runoff some stock near O'Fallon's Station; also that an expedition was goingout from Fort McPherson to catch and punish the red-skins if possible. The General ordered me to accompany the expedition, and accordingly thatnight I proceeded by rail to McPherson Station, and from thence rode onhorseback to the fort. Two companies, under command of Major Brown, hadbeen ordered out, and next morning, just as we were about to start, MajorBrown said to me:

"By the way, Cody, we are going to have quite an important character withus as a guest on this scout. It's old Ned Buntline, the novelist. "

Just then I noticed a gentleman, who was rather stoutly built, and whowore a blue military coat, on the left breast of which were pinnedabout twenty gold medals and badges of secret societies. He walked alittle lame as he approached us, and I at once concluded that he wasNed Buntline. 

"He has a good mark to shoot at on the left breast, " said I to MajorBrown, "but he looks like a soldier. " As he came up, Major Brown said:

"Cody, allow me to introduce you to Colonel E. B. O. Judson, otherwiseknown as Ned Buntline. "

"Colonel Judson, I am glad to meet you, " said I; "the Major tells me thatyou are to accompany us on the scout. "

"Yes, my boy, so I am, " said he; "I was to deliver a temperance lectureto-night, but no lectures for me when there is a prospect for a fight. The Major has kindly offered me a horse, but I don't know how I'll standthe ride, for I haven't done any riding lately; but when I was a youngman I spent several years among the fur companies of the Northwest, andwas a good rider and an excellent shot. "

"The Major has given you a fine horse, and you'll soon find yourself athome in the saddle, " said I. 

The command soon pulled out for the South Platte River, which was verywide and high, owing to recent mountain rains, and in crossing it we hadto swim our horses in some places. Buntline was the first man across. Wereached O'Fallon's at eleven o'clock, and in a short time I succeeded infinding the Indian trail; the party seemed to be a small one, which hadcome up from the south. We followed their track to the North Platte, butas they had a start of two days, Major Brown abandoned the pursuit, andreturned to Fort McPherson, while I went back to Fort Sedgwick, accompanied by Buntline. 

During this short scout, Buntline had asked me a great many questions, and he was determined to go out on the next expedition with me, providinghe could obtain permission from the commanding officer. I introduced himto the officers--excepting those he already knew--and invited him tobecome my guest while he remained at the post, and gave him my ponyPowder Face to ride. 

By this time I had learned that my horse Tall Bull was a remarkably fastrunner, and therefore when Lieutenant Mason, who was quite a sport andowned a racer, challenged me to a race, I immediately accepted it. Wewere to run our horses a single dash of half a mile for one hundreddollars a side. Several of the officers, and also Reub. Wood, thepost-trader, bantered me for side bets, and I took them all until I hadput up my last cent on Tall Bull. 

The ground was measured off, the judges were selected, and all otherpreliminaries were arranged. We rode our horses ourselves, and coming upto the score nicely we let them go. I saw from the start that it would bemere play to beat the Lieutenant's horse, and therefore I held Tall Bullin check, so that none could see how fast he really could run. I easilywon the race, and pocketed a snug little sum of money. Of courseeverybody was now talking horse. Major North remarked that if Tall Bullcould beat the Pawnees' fast horse, I could break his whole command. 

The next day the troops were paid off, the Pawnees with the rest, and fortwo or three days they did nothing but run horse-races, as all therecently captured horses had to be tested to find out the swiftest amongthem. Finally the Pawnees wanted to run their favorite horse against TallBull, and I accordingly arranged a race with them. They raised threehundred dollars and bet it on their horse, while of course, I backed TallBull with an equal amount, and in addition took numerous side bets. Therace was a single dash of a mile, and Tall Bull won it without anydifficulty. I was ahead on this race about seven hundred dollars, and thehorse was fast getting a reputation. Heretofore nobody would bet on him, but now he had plenty of backers. 

I also made a race for my pony Powder Face, against a fast ponybelonging to Captain Lute North. I selected a small boy, living at thepost to ride Powder Face, while an Indian boy was to ride the other pony. The Pawnees as usual wanted to bet on their pony, but as I had not yetfully ascertained the running qualities of Powder Face, I did not careabout risking very much money on him. Had I known him as well then as Idid afterwards I would have backed him for every dollar I had, for heproved to be one of the swiftest ponies I ever saw, and had evidentlybeen kept as a racer. 

The race was to be four hundred yards, and when I led the pony over thetrack he seemed to understand what he was there for. North and I finallyput the riders on, and it was all I could do to hold the fiery littleanimal after the boy became seated on his back. He jumped around and madesuch quick movements, that the boy was not at all confident of being ableto stay on him. The order to start was at last given by the judges, andas I brought Powder Face up to the score and the word "go" was given, hejumped away so quickly that he left his rider sitting on the ground;notwithstanding he ran through and won the race without him. It was aneasy victory, and after that I could get up no more races. Thus passedthe time while we were at Fort Sedgwick. 

General Carr having obtained a leave of absence, Colonel Royal was giventhe command of an expedition that was ordered to go out after theIndians, and in a few days--after having rested a couple of weeks--we setout for the Republican; having learned that there were plenty of Indiansin that section of the country. At Frenchman's Fork we discovered anIndian village, but did not surprise it, for its people had noticed usapproaching, and were retreating when we reached their camping-place. Wechased them down the stream, and they finally turned to the left, wentnorth, and crossed the South Platte river five miles above Ogallala. Wepushed rapidly after them, following them across the North Platte and onthrough the sand-hills towards the Niobrara; but as they were making muchbetter time than we, the pursuit was abandoned. 

While we were in the sand-hills, scouting the Niobrara country, thePawnee Indians brought into camp, one night, some very large bones, oneof which a surgeon of the expedition pronounced to be the thigh-bone of ahuman being. The Indians claimed that the bones they had found were thoseof a person belonging to a race of people who a long time ago lived inthis country. That there was once a race of men on the earth whose sizewas about three times that of an ordinary man, and they were so swift andpowerful that they could run along-side of a buffalo, and taking theanimal in one arm could tear off a leg and eat the meat as they walked. These giants denied the existence of a Great Spirit, and when they heardthe thunder or saw the lightning they laughed at it and said that theywere greater than either. This so displeased the Great Spirit that hecaused a great rain-storm to come, and the water kept rising higher andhigher so that it drove those proud and conceited giants from the lowgrounds to the hills, and thence to the mountains, but at last even themountain tops were submerged, and then those mammoth men were alldrowned. After the flood had subsided, the Great Spirit came to theconclusion that he had made man too large and powerful, and that he wouldtherefore correct the mistake by creating a race of men of smaller sizeand less strength. This is the reason, say the Indians, that modern menare small and not like the giants of old, and they claim that this storyis a matter of Indian history, which has been handed down among them fromtime immemorial. 

As we had no wagons with us at the time this large and heavy bone wasfound, we were obliged to leave it. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

ADMINISTERING JUSTICE. 

On returning to Fort McPherson we found that Brevet Major General W. H. Emory, Colonel of the Fifth Cavalry, and Brevet Brigadier General ThomasDuncan, Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, had arrived there during ourabsence. General Emory had been appointed to the command of the Districtof the Republican, with headquarters at Fort McPherson. As the commandhad been continually in the field, it was generally thought that we wereto have a long rest; and it looked as if this post was to be my home andheadquarters for some time to come. I accordingly sent to St. Louis formy wife and daughter to join me there. General Emory promised to build ahouse for me, but before the building was completed my family arrived. 

During the fall of 1869 there were two or three scouting expeditionssent out; but nothing of very great importance was accomplished by them. I found Fort McPherson to be a lively and pleasant post to be stationedat, especially as there was plenty of game in the vicinity, and within aday's ride there were large herds of deer, antelope and elk. 

During the winter of 1869-70 I spent a great deal of time in pursuit ofgame, and during the season we had two hunting parties of Englishmenthere; one party being that of Mr. Flynn, and the other that of GeorgeBoyd Houghton, of London--the well known caricaturist. Among theiramusements were several horse races, which I arranged, and in which TallBull and Powder Face were invariably the winners. Tall Bull by this timehad such a reputation as a running horse, that it was difficult to make arace for him. I remember one however, in which he ran against a horse inCaptain Spaulding's Company of the Second Cavalry. 

This race was rather a novel affair. I had made a bet that Tall Bullwould beat the Second Cavalry horse around a one mile track, and, duringthe time that he was running, I would jump off and on the horse eighttimes. I rode the horse bareback; seized his mane with my left hand, rested my right on his withers, and while he was going at full speed, Ijumped to the ground, and sprang again upon his back, eight times insuccession. Such feats I had seen performed in the circus and I hadpracticed considerably at it with Tall Bull, so that I was certain ofwinning the race in the manner agreed upon. 

Early one morning, in the spring of 1870, the Indians, who hadapproached during the night, stole some twenty-one head of horses fromMr. John Burke--a Government contractor--Ben. Gallagher and Jack Waite. They also ran off some horses from the post; among the number being mypony Powder Face. The commandant at once ordered out Lieutenant Thomaswith Company I of the Fifth Cavalry, and directed me to accompany them astrailer. We discovered the trail after some little difficulty, as theIndians were continually trying to hide it, and followed it sixty miles, when darkness set in. 

We were now within about four miles of Red Willow Creek and I feltconfident the Indians would camp that night in that vicinity. AdvisingLieutenant Thomas to halt his company and "lay low" I proceeded on to thecreek, where, moving around cautiously, I suddenly discovered horsesfeeding in a bend of the stream on the opposite side. I hurried back tothe troops with the information, and Lieutenant Thomas moved his companyto the bank of the creek, with the intention of remaining there untildaylight, and then, if possible, surprise the Indians. 

Just at break of day we mounted our horses, and after riding a shortdistance we ascended a slight elevation, when, not over one hundred yardsdistant, we looked down into the Indian camp. The Indians, preparing tomake an early start, had driven up their horses and were in the act ofmounting, when they saw us charging down upon them. In a moment theysprang upon their ponies and dashed away. Had it not been for the creek, which lay between us and them, we would have got them before they couldhave mounted their horses; but as it was rather miry, we wereunexpectedly delayed. The Indians fired some shots at us while we werecrossing, but as soon as we got across we went for them in hot pursuit. Afew of the red-skins had not had time to mount and had started on footdown the creek toward the brush. One of these was killed. 

A number of our soldiers, who had been detailed before the charge togather up any of the Indian horses that would be stampeded, succeeded incapturing thirty-two. I hurriedly looked over them to see if Powder Facewas among them; but he was not there. Starting in pursuit of thefugitives I finally espied an Indian mounted on my favorite, dashing awayand leading all the others. We continued the chase for two or threemiles, overtaking a couple who were mounted upon one horse. Coming upbehind them I fired my rifle, when about thirty feet distant; the ballpassed through the backs of both, and they fell headlong to the ground;but I made no stop however just then, for I had my eye on the gentlemanwho was riding Powder Face. It seemed to be fun for him to run away fromus, and run away he did, for the last I saw of him was when he went overa divide, about three miles away. I bade him adieu. On my way back to theIndian camp I stopped and secured the war bonnets and accoutrements ofthe pair I had killed, and at the same time gently "raised their hair. "

We were feeling rather tired and hungry, as we had started out on thetrail thirty-six hours before without a breakfast or taking any food withus; but not a murmur or complaint was heard among the men. In theabandoned Indian camp, however, we found enough dried buffalo meat togive us all a meal, and after remaining there for two hours, to rest ouranimals, we started on our return to Fort McPherson, where we arrived atnight, having traveled 130 miles in two days. 

This being the first fight Lieutenant Thomas had ever commanded in, hefelt highly elated over his success, and hoped that his name would bementioned in the special orders for gallantry; sure enough when wereturned both he, myself and the whole command received a complimentarymention in a special order. This he certainly deserved for he was abrave, energetic, dashing little officer. The war bonnets which I hadcaptured I turned over to General Carr, with the request that hepresent them to General Augur, whose daughters were visiting at thepost at the time. 

Shortly after this, another expedition was organized at Fort McPhersonfor the Republican river country. It was commanded by General Duncan, whowas a jolly, blustering old fellow, and the officers who knew him well, said that we would have a good time, as he was very fond of hunting. Hewas a good fighter, and one of the officers said that an Indian bulletnever could hurt him, as he had been shot in the head with a cannon ballwhich had not injured him in the least; another said the ball glanced offand killed one of the toughest mules in the army. 

The Pawnee scouts who had been mustered out of service, during the winterof 1869 and '70, were reorganized to accompany this expedition. I wasglad of this, as I had become quite attached to one of the officers, Major North, and to many of the Indians. The only white scout we had atthe post, besides myself at that time, was John Y. Nelson, whose Indianname was Cha-Sha-Cha-Opoyeo, [C] which interpreted meansRed-Willow-Fill-the-Pipe. This man is a character in his way; he has aSioux squaw for a wife, and consequently a half-breed family. John is agood fellow, though as a liar he has but few equals and no superior. 

[Footnote C: Since traveled with me in my Dramatic Combination asinterpreter for Sioux Indians. ]

We started out from the post with the regimental band playing the livelyair of "The Girl I Left Behind Me. " We made but a short march that day, and camped at night at the head of Fox Creek. Next morning General Duncansent me word by his orderly that I was to bring up my gun and shoot at amark with him; but I can assure the reader that I did not feel much likeshooting anything except myself, for on the night before, I had returnedto Fort McPherson and spent several hours in interviewing the sutler'sstore, in Company with Major Brown. I looked around for my gun, andfound that I had left it behind. The last I could remember about it wasthat I had it at the sutler's store. I informed Major Brown of my loss, who said that I was a nice scout to start out without a gun. I repliedthat that was not the worst of it, as General Duncan had sent for me toshoot a match with him, and I did not know what to do; for if the oldgentleman discovered my predicament, he would very likely severelyreprimand me. 

"Well, Cody, " said he, "the best you can do is to make some excuse, andthen go and borrow a gun from some of the men, and tell the General thatyou lent yours to some man to go hunting with to-day. While we arewaiting here, I will send back to the post and get your rifle for you. "

I succeeded in obtaining a gun from John Nelson, and then marching up tothe General's headquarters I shot the desired match with him, whichresulted in his favor. 

This was the first scout the Pawnees had been out on under command ofGeneral Duncan, and in stationing his guards around the camp he postedthem in a manner entirely different from that of General Carr and ColonelRoyal, and he insisted that the different posts should call out the hourof the night thus:

"Post No. 1, nine o'clock, all is well! Post No. 2, nine o'clock, all iswell!" etc. 

The Pawnees, who had their regular turns at standing upon guard, wereordered to call the hour the same as the white soldiers. This was verydifficult for them to do, as there were but few of them who could expressthemselves in English. Major North explained to them that when the man onpost next to them should call out the hour, they must call it also asnear like him as possible. It was very amusing to hear them do this. Theywould try to remember what the other man had said on the post next tothem. For instance, a white soldier would call out: "Post No. I, half-past nine o'clock, all is well!" The Indian standing next to himknew that he was bound to say something in English, and he would singout something like the following:

"Poss number half pass five cents--go to ----! I don't care!"

This system was really so ridiculous and amusing that the General had togive it up, and the order was accordingly countermanded. 

Nothing of any great interest occurred on this march, until one day, while proceeding up Prairie Dog Creek, [D] Major North and myself went outin advance of the command several miles and killed a number of buffaloes. Night was approaching, and I began to look around for a suitable campingground for the command. Major North dismounted from his horse and wasresting, while I rode down to the stream to see if there was plenty ofgrass in the vicinity. I found an excellent camping spot, and returningto Major North told him that I would ride over the hill a little way, sothat the advance guard could see me. This I did, and when the advancecame in sight I dismounted and laid down upon the grass to rest. 

[Footnote D: Near the lonely camp where I had so long been laid up with abroken leg, when trapping years before with Dave Harrington. ]

Suddenly I heard three or four shots, and in a few moments Major Northcame dashing up towards me, pursued by eight or ten Indians. I instantlysprang into my saddle, and fired a few shots at the Indians, who by thistime had all come in sight, to the number of fifty. We turned our horsesand ran, the bullets flying after us thick and fast--my whip being shotfrom my hand and daylight being put through the crown of my hat. We werein close quarters, when suddenly Lieutenant Valkmar came galloping up toour relief with several soldiers, and the Indians seeing them whirled andretreated. As soon as Major North got in sight of his Pawnees, he beganriding in a circle. This was a sign to them that there were hostileIndians in front, and in a moment the Pawnees broke ranks pell-mell and, with Major North at their head, started for the flying warriors. The restof the command pushed rapidly forward also, and chased the enemy forthree or four miles, killing three of them. 

But this was a wrong move on our part, as their village was on PrairieDog Creek, while they led us in a different direction; one Indian onlykept straight on up the creek--a messenger to the village. Some of thecommand, who had followed him, stirred up the village and accelerated itsdeparture. We finally got back to the main force, and then learned thatwe had made a great mistake. Now commenced another stern chase. 

The second day that we had been following these Indians we came upon anold squaw, whom they had left on the prairie to die. Her people had builtfor her a little shade or lodge, and had given her some provisions, sufficient to last her on her trip to the Happy Hunting grounds. This theIndians often do when pursued by an enemy, and one of their numberbecomes too old and feeble to travel any longer. This squaw wasrecognized by John Nelson who said that she was a relative of his wife. From her we learned that the flying Indians were known as Pawnee, Killer's band, and that they had lately killed Buck's surveying party, consisting of eight or nine men; the massacre having occurred a few daysbefore on Beaver Creek. We knew that they had had a fight with surveyors, as we found quite a number of surveying instruments, which had been leftin the abandoned camp. We drove these Indians across the Platte river andthen returned to Fort McPherson, bringing the old squaw with us, fromthere she was sent to the Spotted Tail Agency. 

During my absence, my wife had given birth to a son, and he was severalweeks old when I returned. No name had yet been given him and I selectedthat of Elmo Judson, in honor of Ned Buntline; but this the officers andscouts objected to. Major Brown proposed that we should call him KitCarson, and it was finally settled that that should be his name. 

During the summer we made one or two more scouts and had a fewskirmishes with the Indians: but nothing of any great importancetranspired. In the fall of 1870, while I was a witness in a courtmartial at Fort D. A. Russell I woke up one morning and found that I wasdead broke;--this is not an unusual occurrence to a frontiersman, or anauthor I may add, especially when he is endeavoring to kill time--toraise necessary funds I sold my race horse Tall Bull to LieutenantMason, who had long wanted him. 

In the winter of 1870 and 1871 I first met George Watts Garland, anEnglish gentleman, and a great hunter, whom I had the pleasure of guidingon several hunts and with whom I spent some weeks. During the winter Ialso took several parties out on the Loupe River country, hunting andtrapping. Although I was still chief of scouts I did not have much to do, as the Indians were comparatively quiet, thus giving me plenty of timefor sporting. 

In the spring of 1871 several short scouting expeditions were sent outfrom Fort McPherson, but all with minor results. 

About this time General Emory was considerably annoyed by petty offensescommitted in the vicinity of the post, and as there was no justice of thepeace in the neighborhood, he was anxious to have such an officer thereto attend to the civilians; one day he remarked to me that I would makean excellent justice. 

"General, you compliment me rather too highly, for I don't know any moreabout law than a government mule does about book-keeping, " said I. 

"That doesn't make any difference, " said he, "for I know that you willmake a good 'Squire. " He accordingly had the county commissionersappoint me to the office of justice of the peace, and I soon received mycommission. 

One morning a man came rushing up to my house and stated that he wantedto get out a writ of replevin, to recover possession of a horse which astranger was taking out of the country. I had no blank forms, and had notyet received the statutes of Nebraska to copy from, so I asked the man:

"Where is the fellow who has got your horse?"

"He is going up the road, and is about two miles away, " replied he. 

"Very well, " said I, "I will get the writ ready in a minute or two. "

I saddled up my horse, and then taking my old reliable gun, "Lucretia, " Isaid to the man: "That's the best writ of replevin that I can think of;come along, and we'll get that horse, or know the reason why. "

We soon overtook the stranger who was driving a herd of horses, and as wecame up to him, I said:

"Hello, sir; I am an officer, and have an attachment for that horse, " andat the same time I pointed out the animal. 

"Well, sir, what are you going to do about it?" he inquired. 

"I propose to take you and the horse back to the post, " said I. 

"You can take the horse, " said he, "but I haven't the time to returnwith you. "

"You'll have to take the time, or pay the costs here and now, " said I. 

"How much are the costs?"

"Twenty dollars. "

"Here's your money, " said he, as he handed me the greenbacks. 

I then gave him a little friendly advice, and told him that he wasreleased from custody. He went on his way a wiser and a poorer man, whilethe owner of the horse and myself returned to the fort. I pocketed thetwenty dollars, of course. Some people might think it was not a squareway of doing business, but I didn't know any better just then. I hadseveral little cases of this kind, and I became better posted on law inthe course of time, being assisted by Lieutenant Burr Reilly, of theFifth Cavalry, who had been educated for a lawyer. 

One evening I was called upon to perform a marriage ceremony. Thebridegroom was one of the sergeants of the post. I had "braced up" forthe occasion by imbibing rather freely of stimulants, and when I arrivedat the house, with a copy of the Statutes of Nebraska, which I hadrecently received, I felt somewhat confused. Whether my bewilderment wasowing to the importance of the occasion and the large assembly, or to theeffect of Louis Woodin's "tanglefoot, " I cannot now distinctlyremember--but my suspicions have always been that it was due to thelatter cause. I looked carefully through the statutes to find themarriage ceremony, but my efforts were unsuccessful. Finally the timecame for the knot to be tied. I told the couple to stand up, and then Isaid to the bridegroom:

"Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to support andlove her through life?"

"I do, " was the reply. 

Then addressing myself to the bride, I said, "Do you take this man to beyour lawful wedded husband through life, to love, honor and obey him?"

[Illustration: A WEDDING CEREMONY. ]

"I do, " was her response. 

"Then join hands, " said I to both of them; "I now pronounce you to be manand wife, and whomsoever God and Buffalo Bill have joined together let noman put asunder. May you live long and prosper. Amen. "

This concluded the interesting ceremony, which was followed by the usualfestivities on such occasions. I was highly complimented for the elegantand eloquent manner in which I had tied the matrimonial knot. 

During the summer of 1871, Professor Marsh, of Yale College, came out toMcPherson, with a large party of students to have a hunt and to look forfossils. Professor Marsh had heard of the big bone which had been foundby the Pawnees in the Niobrara country, and he intended to look for thatas well as other bones. He accordingly secured the services of MajorFrank North and the Pawnees as an escort. I was also to accompany thebone-hunters, and would have done so had it not been for the fact thatjust at that time I was ordered out with a small scouting party to goafter some Indians. 

[Illustration: A RIDE FOR LIFE. ]

The day before the Professor arrived at the fort, I had been out huntingon the north side of the North Platte River, near Pawnee Springs, withseveral companions, when we were suddenly attacked by Indians, whowounded one of our number, John Weister. We stood the Indians off for alittle while, and Weister got even with them by killing one of theirparty. The Indians, however, outnumbered us, and at last we were forcedto make a run for our lives. In this we succeeded, and reached the fortin safety. The General wanted to have the Indians pursued, and said hecould not spare me to accompany Professor Marsh. 

However, I had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of the eminentProfessor, whom I found to be not only a well-posted person but a veryentertaining gentleman. He gave me a geological history of the country;told me in what section fossils were to be found; and otherwiseentertained me with several scientific yarns, some of which seemed toocomplicated and too mysterious to be believed by an ordinary man likemyself; but it was all clear to him. I rode out with him several miles, as he was starting on his bone-hunting expedition, and I greatly enjoyedthe ride. His party had been provided with Government transportation andhis students were all mounted on Government horses. 

As we rode along he delivered a scientific lecture, and he convinced methat he knew what he was talking about. I finally bade him good-bye, andreturned to the post. While the fossil-hunters were out on theirexpedition, we had several lively little skirmishes with the Indians. After having been absent some little time Professor Marsh and his partycame back with their wagons loaded down with all kinds of bones, and theProfessor was in his glory. He had evidently struck a bone-yard, and"gad!"[E] wasn't he happy! But they had failed to find the big bone whichthe Pawnees had unearthed the year before. 

[Footnote E: A favorite expression of the Professor's. ]

CHAPTER XXIV. 

HUNTING EXPEDITION. 

Early in the month of September, 1871, information was received at FortMcPherson that General Sheridan and a party of invited friends werecoming out to the post to have a grand hunt in the vicinity, and toexplore the country from McPherson to Fort Hays, in Kansas. On themorning of September 22d they arrived in a special car at North Platte, astation on the Union Pacific, distant eighteen miles from Fort McPherson. 

The party consisted of General Sheridan, Lawrence R. Jerome, James GordonBennett, of the _New York Herald_; Leonard W. Jerome, Carroll Livingston, Major J. G. Hecksher, General Fitzhugh, General H. E. Davies, Captain M. Edward Rogers, Colonel J. Scuyler Crosby, Samuel Johnson, General AnsonStager, of the Western Union Telegraph Company; Charles Wilson, editor ofthe _Chicago Evening Journal_; General Rucker, Quartermaster-General, and Dr. Asch--the two last-named being of General Sheridan's staff. Theywere met at the station by General Emory and Major Brown, with a cavalrycompany as escort and a sufficient number of vehicles to carry thedistinguished visitors and their baggage. 

A brisk drive of less than two hours over a hard and smooth road broughtthem to the fort, where they found the garrison, consisting of fivecompanies of the Fifth Cavalry, under the command of General Carr, outon parade awaiting their arrival. The band played some martial music, and the cavalry passed very handsomely in review before GeneralSheridan. The guests were then most hospitably received, and assigned tocomfortable quarters. 

Lieutenant Hayes, the quartermaster of the expedition, arrangedeverything for the comfort of the party. One hundred cavalry undercommand of Major Brown were detailed as an escort. A train of sixteenwagons was provided to carry the baggage, supplies, and forage for thetrip; and, besides these, there were three four-horse ambulances in whichthe guns were carried, and in which members of the party who became wearyof the saddle might ride and rest. At General Sheridan's request I was toaccompany the expedition; he introduced me to all his friends, and gaveme a good send-off. 

During the afternoon and evening the gentlemen were all entertained atthe post in a variety of ways, including dinner and supper parties, andmusic and dancing; at a late hour they retired to rest in their tents atthe camp which they occupied outside the post--named Camp Rucker in honorof General Rucker. 

At five o'clock next morning a cavalry bugle sounded the _reveille_, andsoon all were astir in the camp, preparatory to pulling out for the firstday's march. I rose fresh and eager for the trip, and as it was a nobbyand high-toned outfit which I was to accompany, I determined to put on alittle style myself. So I dressed in a new suit of light buckskin, trimmed along the seams with fringes of the same material; and I put on acrimson shirt handsomely ornamented on the bosom, while on my head I worea broad _sombrero_. Then mounting a snowy white horse--a gallantstepper--I rode down from the fort to the camp, rifle in hand. I feltfirst-rate that morning, and looked well. 

The expedition was soon under way. Our road for ten miles wound through awooded ravine called Cottonwood Cañon, intersecting the high ground, ordivide, as it is called, between the Platte and Republican Rivers. Uponemerging from the cañon we found ourselves upon the plains. First in theline rode General Sheridan, followed by his guests, and then theorderlies. Then came the ambulances, in one of which were carried fivegreyhounds, brought along to course the antelope and rabbit. With theambulances marched a pair of Indian ponies belonging to LieutenantHayes--captured during some Indian fight--and harnessed to a light wagon, which General Sheridan occasionally used. These little horses, butthirteen hands high, showed more vigor and endurance than any other ofthe animals we had with us. Following the ambulances came the main bodyof the escort and the supply wagons. 

We marched seventeen miles the first day, and went into camp on FoxCreek, a tributary of the Republican. No hunting had as yet been done;but I informed the gentlemen of the party that we would strike thebuffalo country the next day. A hundred or more questions were thenasked me by this one and that one, and the whole evening was spentprincipally in buffalo talk, sandwiched with stories of the plains--bothof war and of the chase. Several of the party, who were good vocalists, gave us some excellent music. We closed the evening by christening thecamp, naming it Camp Brown, in honor of the gallant officer in command ofthe escort. 

At three o'clock next morning the bugle called us to an early start. Wehad breakfast at half-past four, and at six were in the saddle. All wereeager to see and shoot the buffaloes which I assured them we wouldcertainly meet during the day. After marching five miles, the advanceguard, of which I had the command, discovered six buffaloes grazing at adistance of about two miles from us. We returned to the hunters with thisinformation, and they at once consulted with me as to the best way toattack the "enemy. "

Acting upon my suggestions, Fitzhugh, Crosby, Lawrence Jerome, Livingston, Hecksher and Rogers, accompanied by myself as guide, rodethrough a convenient cañon to a point beyond the buffaloes, so that wewere to the windward of the animals. The rest of the party made a detourof nearly five miles, keeping behind the crest of a hill. We charged downupon the buffaloes, at full gallop, and just then the other party emergedfrom their concealment and witnessed the exciting chase. The buffaloesstarted off in a line, single file. Fitzhugh, after a lively gallop, ledus all and soon came alongside the rear buffalo, at which he fired. Theanimal faltered, and then with another shot Fitzhugh brought him to theground. Crosby dashed by him and leveled another of the herd, whileLivingston dropped a third. Those who were not directly engaged in thehunt now came up and congratulated the men upon their success, andFitzhugh was at once hailed as the winner of the buffalo cup; while allsympathized with Hecksher, whose chance had been the best at the start, but who lost by reason of his horse falling and rolling over him. 

The hunt being over, the column moved forward on its march passingthrough a prairie-dog town, several miles in extent. These animals arefound throughout the plains, living together in a sort of society; theirnumberless burrows in their "towns" adjoin each other, so that great careis necessary in riding through these places, as the ground is soundermined as often to fall in under the weight of a horse. Around theentrance to their holes the ground is piled up almost a foot high; onthese little elevations the prairie-dogs sit upon their hind legs, chattering to each other and observing whatever passes on the plains. They will permit a person to approach quite near, but when they haveviewed him closely, they dive into their dens with wonderful quickness. They are difficult to kill, and if hit, generally succeed in crawlingunderground before they can be captured. Rattlesnakes and small owls aregenerally found in great numbers in the prairie-dog towns, and live inthe same holes with the dogs on friendly terms. A few of the prairie-dogswere killed, and were found to be very palatable eating. 

[Illustration: PRAIRIE-DOG VILLAGE. ]

A short distance beyond the dog town we discovered a settlement of fivewhite men, who proved to be the two Clifford brothers, Arthur Ruff, DickSeymour and John Nelson--the latter already referred to in these pages. Each of them had a squaw wife and numerous half-breed children, living intents of buffalo skins. They owned a herd of horses and mules and a fewcattle, and had cultivated a small piece of land. Their principaloccupation was hunting, and they had a large number of buffalo hides, which, they had tanned in the Indian manner. 

Upon reaching Pleasant Valley, on Medicine Creek, our party divided intotwo detachments--one hunting along the bank of the stream for elk ordeer, and the other remaining with the main body of the escort. The elkhunters met with no success whatever, but the others ran across plenty ofbuffaloes, and nearly everybody killed one or more before the day wasover. Lawrence Jerome made an excellent shot; while riding in anambulance he killed a buffalo which attempted to cross the line of march. 

At about four o'clock P. M. , we arrived at Mitchell's Fork of theMedicine, having traveled thirty-five miles during that day, and there wewent into camp--calling it Camp Jack Hayes, in honor of Lieutenant Hayes. 

On the next morning, the 25th, we moved out of camp at eight o'clock. The party was very successful through the day in securing game, Hecksher, Fitzhugh, Livingston and Lieutenant Hayes; and in fact all didgood shooting. 

Lawrence Jerome persuaded me to let him ride Buckskin Joe, the bestbuffalo horse in the whole outfit, and on his back he did wonders amongthe buffaloes. Leonard Jerome, Bennett and Rogers also were verysuccessful in buffalo hunting. 

Our camp of this night was named Camp Asch to commemorate our surgeon, Dr. Asch. The evening was pleasantly spent around the camp fires inrelating the adventures of the day. 

Upon crossing the Republican river on the morning of the 26th, we cameupon an immense number of buffaloes scattered over the country in everydirection, as far as the eye could reach and all had an opportunity todo as much hunting as they wished. The wagons and troops moved slowlyalong in the direction of the next camp, while the hunters went offseparately, or by twos and threes, in different directions, and all wererewarded with abundant success. Lawrence Jerome, however, had his careersuddenly checked. He had dismounted to make a steady and careful shot, and thoughtlessly let go of the bridle. The buffalo failing to take atumble, as he ought to have done, started off at a lively gait, followedby Buckskin Joe--the horse being determined to do some hunting on his ownaccount--the last seen of him, he was a little ahead of the buffalo, andgaining slightly, leaving his late rider to his own reflections and theprospect of a tramp; his desolate condition was soon discovered andanother horse warranted not to run under any provocation, was sent tohim. It maybe stated here that three days afterwards, as I subsequentlylearned, Buckskin Joe, all saddled and bridled, turned up at FortMcPherson. 

We pitched our tents for the night in a charming spot on the bank ofBeaver Creek. The game was so abundant that we remained there one day. This stopping place was called. Camp Cody, in honor of the reader'shumble servant. 

The next day was spent in hunting jack-rabbits, coyotes, elks, antelopes and wild turkeys. We had a splendid dinner as will be seenfrom the following:

 BILL OF FARE. 

 SOUP. Buffalo Tail. 

 FISH. Cisco broiled, fried Dace. 

 ENTREES. Salmi of Prairie Dog, Stewed Rabbit, Fillet of Buffalo, Aux Champignons. 

 ROAST. Elk, Antelope, Black-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey. 

 BROILED. Teal, Mallard, Antelope Chops, Buffalo-Calf Steaks, Young Wild Turkey. 

 VEGETABLES. Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas. 

 DESSERT. Tapioca Pudding. 

 WINES. Champagne Frappe, Champagne au Naturel, Claret, Whiskey, Brandy, Bass' Ale. 

 COFFEE. 

This I considered a pretty square meal for a party of hunters, andeverybody did ample justice to it. 

In the evening a court-martial was held, at which I presided as chiefjustice. We tried one of the gentlemen for aiding and abetting in theloss of a government horse, and for having something to do with themysterious disappearance of a Colt's pistol. He was charged also withsnoring in a manner that was regarded as fiendish, and with committing avariety of other less offenses too numerous to mention. 

The accused made a feeble defense as to the pistol, and claimed thatinstead of losing a government horse, the fact was that the horse hadlost him. His statements were all regarded as "too thin, " and finallyfailing to prove good character, he confessed all, and threw himself uponthe mercy of the court. The culprit was Lawrence Jerome. 

As chief justice I delivered the opinion of the court, which my modestydoes not prevent me from saying, was done in an able and dignifiedmanner; as an act of clemency I suspended judgment for the time being, remarking that while the camp fire held out to burn, the vilest sinnermight return; and in hope of the accused's amendment, I would deferpronouncing sentence. The trial afforded its considerable amusement, andgave me a splendid opportunity to display the legal knowledge which I hadacquired while acting as justice of the peace at Fort McPherson. 

On the morning of the 28th the command crossed the South Beaver, distantnine miles from Camp Cody, and then striking a fair road we made a rapidmarch until we reached our camp on Short Nose or Prairie Dog Creek, about 2 P. M. , after having made twenty-four miles. The remainder of theafternoon was spent in hunting buffaloes and turkeys. Camp Stager was thename given to this place, in honor of General Stager, of the WesternUnion Telegraph Company. 

The next day we made a march of twenty-four miles, and then halted atabout 1 P. M. On the North Solomon River. This day we killed threebuffaloes, two antelopes, two raccoons, and three teal ducks. Near ourcamp, which we named Camp Leonard Jerome, was a beaver dam some six feethigh and twenty yards wide; it was near the junction of two streams, andformed a pond of at least four acres. 

On the 30th we traveled twenty-five miles, and during the march nineturkeys, two rabbits, and three or four buffaloes were killed. We wentinto camp on the bank of the South Fork of the Solomon River and calledthe place Camp Sam Johnson. We were now but forty-five miles from FortHays, the point at which General Sheridan and his guests expected tostrike the Kansas Pacific Railway, and thence return home. That eveningI volunteered to ride to Fort Hays and meet the party next day, bringing with me all the letters that might be at the post. Taking thebest horse in the command I started out, expecting to make the trip inabout four hours. 

The next morning the command got an early start and traveled thirty milesto Saline River, where they made their last camp on the plains. As someof the party were attacking a herd of buffaloes, I rode in from Fort Haysand got into the middle of the herd, and killed a buffalo or two beforethe hunters observed me. I brought a large number of letters, whichproved welcome reading matter. 

In the evening we gathered around the camp-fire for the last time. Theduty of naming the camp, which was called Camp Davies, having been dulyperformed, we all united in making that night the pleasantest of all thatwe had spent together. We had eloquent speeches, songs, and interestinganecdotes. I was called upon, and entertained the gentlemen with somelively Indian stories. 

The excursionists reached Fort Hays, distant fifteen miles, on themorning of October 2d, where we pitched our tents for the last time, andnamed the camp in honor of Mr. Hecksher. That same afternoon GeneralSheridan and his guests took the train for the East, after bidding MajorBrowa, Lieutenant Hayes and myself a hearty good-bye, and expressingthemselves as greatly pleased with their hunt, and the manner in whichthey had been escorted and guided. 

It will be proper and fair to state here that General Davies afterwardswrote an interesting account of this hunt and published it in a neatvolume of sixty-eight pages, under the title of "Ten Days on the Plains. "I would have inserted the volume bodily in this book, were it not for thefact that the General has spoken in a rather too complimentary manner ofme. However, I have taken the liberty in this chapter to condense fromthe little volume, and in some places I have used the identical languageof General Davies without quoting the same; in fact, to do the Generaljustice, I ought to close this chapter with several lines of quotationmarks to be pretty generally distributed by the reader throughout myaccount of our ten days' hunt. 

Soon after the departure of General Sheridan's party, we returned to FortMcPherson and found General Carr about to start out on a twenty days'scout, not so much for the purpose of finding Indians, but more for theobject of taking some friends on a hunt. His guests were a couple ofEnglishmen, --whose names I cannot now remember--and Mr. McCarthy, ofSyracuse, New York, who was a relative of General Emory. The commandconsisted of three companies of the Fifth Cavalry, one company of PawneeIndians, and twenty-five wagons. Of course I was called on to accompanythe expedition. 

One day, after we had been out from the post for some little time, I washunting on Deer Creek, in company with Mr. McCarthy, about eight milesfrom the command. I had been wishing for several days to play a joke onhim, and had arranged a plan with Captain Lute North to carry it intoexecution. I had informed North at about what time we would be on DeerCreek, and it was agreed that he should appear in the vicinity with someof his Pawnees, who were to throw their blankets around them, and comedashing down upon us, firing and whooping in true Indian style; while hewas to either conceal or disguise himself. This programme was faithfullyand completely carried out. I had been talking about Indians to McCarthy, and he had become considerably excited, when just as we turned a bend ofthe creek, we saw not half a mile from us about twenty Indians, whoinstantly started for us on a gallop, firing their guns and yelling atthe top of their voices. 

"McCarthy, shall we dismount and fight, or run?" said I. 

He didn't wait to reply, but wheeling his horse, started at full speeddown the creek, losing his hat and dropping his gun; away he went, neveronce looking back to see if he was being pursued. I tried to stop him byyelling at him and saying that it was all right, as the Indians werePawnees. Unfortunately he did not hear me, but kept straight on, notstopping his horse until he reached the camp. 

[Illustration: MCCARTHY'S FRIGHT. ]

I knew that he would tell General Carr that the Indians had jumped him, and that the General would soon start out with the troops. So as soon asthe Pawnees rode up to me I told them to remain there while I went aftermy friend. I rode after him as fast as possible, but he had arrived atthe command some time before me and when I got there the General had, asI had suspected he would do, ordered out two companies of cavalry to goin pursuit of the Indians. I told the General that the Indians were onlysome Pawnees, who had been out hunting and that they had merely played ajoke upon us. I forgot to inform him that I had put up the trick, butas he was always fond of a good joke himself, he did not get very angry. I had picked up McCarthy's hat and gun which I returned to him, and itwas some time afterwards before he discovered who was at the bottom ofthe affair. 

When we returned to Fort McPherson we found there Mr. Royal Buck, whosefather had been killed with his entire party by Pawnee Killer's band ofIndians on the Beaver Creek. He had a letter from the commanding officerof the Department requesting that he be furnished with an escort to go insearch of the remains of his father and the party. Two companies ofcavalry were sent with him and I accompanied them as guide. As the oldsquaw, which we had captured, and of which mention is made in a previouschapter, could not exactly tell us the place on Beaver Creek where theparty had been killed, we searched the country over for two days anddiscovered no signs of the murdered men. At last, however, our effortswere rewarded with success. We found pieces of their wagons and amongother things an old letter or two which Mr. Buck recognized as hisfather's handwriting. We then discovered some of the remains, which weburied; but nothing further. It was now getting late in the fall and weaccordingly returned to Fort McPherson. 

A short time after this the Fifth Cavalry was ordered to Arizona, a notvery desirable country to soldier in. I had become greatly attached tothe officers of the regiment, having been continually with them for overthree years, and had about made up my mind to accompany them, when aletter was received from General Sheridan instructing the commandingofficer "not to take Cody" with him, and saying that I was to remain inmy old position. In a few days the command left for its destination, taking the cars at McPherson Station, where I bade my old friends adieu. During the next few weeks I had but little to do, as the post wasgarrisoned by infantry, awaiting the arrival of the Third Cavalry. 

[Illustration: FINDING THE REMAINS OF THE BUCK PARTY. ]

CHAPTER XXV. 

HUNTING WITH A GRAND DUKE. 

About the first of January, 1872, General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, ofSheridan's staff came out to Fort McPherson to make preparations for abig buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke Alexis, of Russia; and as this was tobe no ordinary affair, these officers had been sent by General Sheridanto have all the necessary arrangements perfected by the time the GrandDuke should arrive. They learned from me that there were plenty ofbuffaloes in the vicinity and especially on the Red Willow, sixty milesdistant. They said they would like to go over on the Red Willow and pickout a suitable place for the camp; they also inquired the location ofthe Spotted Tail, Sioux Indians. Spotted Tail had permission from theGovernment to hunt the buffalo, with his people during the winter, in theRepublican river country. It was my opinion that they were locatedsomewhere on the Frenchman's Fork about one hundred and fifty miles fromFort McPherson. 

General Sheridan's commissioners informed me, that he wished me to visitSpotted Tail's camp, and induce about one hundred of the leading warriorsand chiefs, to come to the point where it should be decided to locate theAlexis hunting camp, and to be there by the time the Grand Duke shouldarrive, so that he could see a body of American Indians and observe themanner in which they killed buffaloes. The Indians would also be calledupon to give a grand war dance in honor of the distinguished visitor. 

Next morning General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, accompanied by Captain Hays, who had been left at Fort McPherson in charge of the Fifth Cavalryhorses, taking an ambulance and a light wagon, to carry their tents, andprovisions sufficient to last them two or three days; started, under myguidance, with a small escort, for Red Willow Creek, arriving there atnight. The next day we selected a pleasant camping place on a littleknoll in the valley of the Red Willow. General Forsyth and his partyreturned to the post the next day while I left for Spotted Tail's camp. 

The weather was very cold and I found my journey by no means a pleasantone as I was obliged to camp out with only my saddle blankets; andbesides, there was more or less danger from the Indians themselves; for, although Spotted Tail himself was friendly, I was afraid I might havedifficulty in getting into his camp. I was liable at any moment to runinto a party of his young men who might be out hunting, and as I hadmany enemies among the Sioux, I would be running considerable risk inmeeting them. 

At the end of the first day I camped on Stinking Water, a tributary ofthe Frenchman's Fork, where I built a little fire in the timber; but itwas so very cold I was not able to sleep much. Getting an early start inthe morning I followed up the Frenchman's Fork and late in the afternoonI could see, from the fresh horse tracks and from the dead buffaloeslying here and there, recently killed, that I was nearing Spotted Tail'scamp. I rode on for a few miles further, and then hiding my horse in alow ravine, I crawled up a high hill, where I obtained a good view of thecountry. I could see for four or five miles up the creek, and got sightof a village and of two or three hundred ponies in its vicinity. I waiteduntil night came and then I succeeded in riding into the Indian campunobserved. 

[Illustration: SPOTTED TAIL. ]

I had seen Spotted Tail's camp when he came from the north and I knew thekind of lodge he was living in. As I entered the village I wrapped ablanket around my head so that the Indians could not tell whether I was awhite or a red man. In this way I rode around until I found SpottedTail's lodge. Dismounting from my horse I opened his tent door and lookedin and saw the old chief lying on some robes. I spoke to him and herecognized me at once and invited me to enter. Inside the lodge I found awhite man, an old frontiersman, Todd Randall, who was Spotted Tail'sagent and who had lived a great many years with the Indians. Heunderstood their language perfectly and did all the interpreting forSpotted Tail. Through him I readily communicated with the chief andinformed him of my errand. I told him that the warriors and chiefs wouldgreatly please General Sheridan if they would meet him in about tensleeps at the old Government crossing of the Red Willow. I furtherinformed him that there was a great chief from across the water who wascoming there to visit him. Spotted Tail replied that he would be veryglad to go; that the next morning he would call his people together andselect those who would accompany him. I told Spotted Tail how I hadentered his camp. He replied that I had acted wisely; that although hispeople were friendly, yet some of his young men had a grudge against me, and I might have had difficulty with them had I met them away from thevillage. He directed his squaw to get me something to eat, and orderedthat my horse be taken care of, and upon his invitation I spent theremainder of the night in his lodge. 

Next morning the chiefs and warriors assembled according to orders, andto them was stated the object of my visit. They were asked:

"Do you know who this man is?"

"Yes, we know him well, " replied one, "that is Pa-he-haska, " (that beingmy name among the Sioux, which translated means "Long Hair") "that is ourold enemy, " a great many of the Indians, who were with Spotted Tail atthis time, had been driven out of the Republican country. 

"That is he, " said Spotted Tail. "I want all my people to be kind to himand treat him as my friend. "

I noticed that several of them were looking daggers at me. They appearedas if they wished to raise my hair then and there. Spotted Tail motionedand I followed him into his lodge, and thereupon the Indians dispersed. Having the assurance of Spotted Tail that none of the young men wouldfollow me I started back for the Red Willow, arriving the second night. 

There I found Captain Egan with a company of the Second Cavalry and awagon train loaded with tents, grain, provisions, etc. The men wereleveling off the ground and were making preparations to put up large walltents for the Grand Duke Alexis and his _suite_, and for GeneralSheridan, his staff and other officers, and invited guests of the party. Proceeding to Fort McPherson I reported what had been done. ThereuponQuartermaster Hays selected from the five or six hundred horses in hischarge, seventy-five of the very best, which were sent to the Red Willow, to be used by Alexis and his party at the coming hunt. In a day or two alarge supply of provisions, liquors, etc. , arrived from Chicago, togetherwith bedding and furniture for the tents; all of which were sent over toCamp Alexis. 

[Illustration: GRAND DUKE ALEXIS. ]

At last, on the morning of the 12th of January, 1872, the Grand Duke andparty arrived at North Platte by special train; in charge of a Mr. Francis Thompson. Captain Hays and myself, with five or six ambulances, fifteen or twenty extra saddle-horses and a company of cavalry underCaptain Egan, were at the dépôt in time to receive them. PresentlyGeneral Sheridan and a large, fine-looking young man, whom we at onceconcluded to be the Grand Duke came out of the cars and approached us. General Sheridan at once introduced me to the Grand Duke as Buffalo Bill, for he it was, and said that I was to take charge of him and show him howto kill buffalo. 

In less than half an hour the whole party were dashing away towards thesouth, across the South Platte and towards the Medicine; upon reachingwhich point we halted for a change of horses and a lunch. Resuming ourride we reached Camp Alexis in the afternoon. General Sheridan was wellpleased with the arrangements that had been made and was delighted tofind that Spotted Tail and his Indians had arrived on time. They wereobjects of great curiosity to the Grand Duke, who spent considerable timein looking at them, and watching their exhibitions of horsemanship, shamfights, etc. That evening the Indians gave the grand war dance, which Ihad arranged for. 

[Illustration: INDIAN EXERCISES. ]

General Custer, who was one of the hunting party, carried on a mildflirtation with one of Spotted Tail's daughters, who had accompanied herfather thither, and it was noticed also that the Duke Alexis paidconsiderable attention to another handsome red-skin maiden. The nightpassed pleasantly, and all retired with great expectations of having amost enjoyable and successful buffalo hunt. The Duke Alexis asked me agreat many questions as to how we shot buffaloes, and what kind of a gunor pistol we used, and if he was going to have a good horse. I told himthat he was to have my celebrated buffalo horse Buckskin Joe, and whenwe went into a buffalo herd all he would have to do was to sit on thehorse's back and fire away. 

At nine o'clock next morning we were all in our saddles, and in a fewminutes were galloping over the prairies in search of a buffalo herd. Wehad not gone far before we observed a herd some distance ahead of uscrossing our way; after that we proceeded cautiously, so as to keep outof sight until we were ready to make a charge. 

Of course the main thing was to give Alexis the first chance and the bestshot at the buffaloes, and when all was in readiness we dashed over alittle knoll that had hidden us from view, and in a few minutes we wereamong them. Alexis at first preferred to use his pistol instead of a gun. He fired six shots from this weapon at buffaloes only twenty feet awayfrom him, but as he shot wildly, not one of his bullets took effect. Riding up to his side and seeing that his weapon was empty, I exchangedpistols with him. He again fired six shots, without dropping a buffalo. 

Seeing that the animals were bound to make their escape without hiskilling one of them, unless he had a better weapon, I rode up to him, gave him my old reliable "Lucretia, " and told him to urge his horse closeto the buffaloes, and I would then give him the word when to shoot. Atthe same time I gave old Buckskin Joe a blow with my whip, and with a fewjumps the horse carried the Grand Duke to within about ten feet of a bigbuffalo bull. 

"Now is your time, " said I. He fired, and down went the buffalo. TheGrand Duke stopped his horse, dropped his gun on the ground, andcommenced waving his hat. When his _suite_ came galloping up, he begantalking to them in a tongue which I could not understand. PresentlyGeneral Sheridan joined the group, and the ambulances were brought up. Very soon the corks began to fly from the champagne bottles, in honor ofthe Grand Duke Alexis, who had killed the first buffalo. 

It was reported in a great many of the newspapers that I shot the firstbuffalo for Alexis, while in some it was stated that I held the buffalowhile His Royal Highness killed it. But the way I have related the affairis the correct version. 

It was thought that we had had about sport enough for one day, andaccordingly I was directed by General Sheridan to guide the party back tocamp, and we were soon on our way thither. Several of the party, however, concluded to have a little hunt on their own account, and presently wesaw them galloping over the prairie in different directions in pursuit ofbuffaloes. 

While we were crossing a deep ravine, on our way to camp, we ran into asmall band of buffaloes that had been frightened by some of the hunters. As they rushed past us, not more than thirty yards distant, Alexis raisedhis pistol, fired and killed a buffalo cow. It was either anextraordinary good shot or a "scratch"--probably the latter, for itsurprised the Grand Duke as well as everybody else. We gave him threecheers, and when the ambulance came up we took a pull at the champagnein honor of the Grand Duke's success. I was in hopes that he would killfive or six more buffaloes before we reached camp, especially if a basketof champagne was to be opened every time he dropped one. 

General Sheridan directed me to take care of the hides and heads of thebuffaloes which Alexis had killed, as the Duke wished to keep them assouvenirs of the hunt. I also cut out the choice meat from the cow andbrought it into camp, and that night at supper Alexis had the pleasure ofdining on broiled buffalo steak obtained from the animal which he hadshot himself. 

We remained at this camp two or three days, during which we hunted mostof the time, the Grand Duke himself killing eight buffaloes. 

One day Alexis desired to see how the Indians hunted buffaloes and killedthem with bow and arrow; so Spotted Tail, selecting some of his besthunters, had them surround a herd, and bring the animals down, not onlywith arrows, but with lances. The Grand Duke was told to follow upon theheels of one celebrated Indian hunter, whose name was "Two Lance, " andwatch him bring down the game; for this chief had the reputation of beingable to send an arrow through and through the body of a buffalo. Uponthis occasion he did not belie his reputation, for he sent an arrow_through_ a buffalo, which fell dead at the shot, and the arrow was givento Alexis as a souvenir of his hunt on the American Plains. 

[Illustration: TWO LANCE KILLING A BUFFALO. ]

When the Grand Duke was satisfied with the sport, orders were given forthe return to the railroad. The conveyance provided for the Grand Dukeand General Sheridan was a heavy double-seated open carriage, or ratheran Irish dog-cart, and it was drawn by four spirited cavalry horses whichwere not much used to the harness. The driver was Bill Reed, an oldoverland stage driver and wagon master; on our way in, the Grand Dukefrequently expressed his admiration of the skillful manner in which Reedhandled the reins. 

General Sheridan informed the Duke that I also had been a stage-driver inthe Rocky Mountains, and thereupon His Royal Highness expressed a desireto see me drive. I was in advance at the time, and General Sheridan sangout to me:

"Cody, get in here and show the Duke how you can drive. Mr. Reed willexchange places with you and ride your horse. "

"All right, General, " said I, and in a few moments I had the reins and wewere rattling away over the prairie. When we were approaching MedicineCreek, General Sheridan said: "Shake 'em up a little, Bill, and give ussome old-time stage-driving. " I gave the horses a crack or two of thewhip, and they started off at a very rapid gait. They had a light load topull, and kept increasing their speed at every jump, and I found itdifficult to hold them. They fairly flew over the ground, and at last wereached a steep hill, or divide, which, led down into the valley of theMedicine. There was no brake on the wagon, and the horses were not muchon the hold-back. I saw that it would be impossible to stop them. All Icould do was to keep them straight in the track and let them go it downthe hill, for three miles; which distance, I believe, was made in aboutsix minutes. Every once in a while the hind wheels would strike a rut andtake a bound, and not touch the ground again for fifteen or twenty feet. The Duke and the General were kept rather busy in holding their positionson the seats, and when they saw that I was keeping the horses straight inthe road, they seemed to enjoy the dash which we were making. I wasunable to stop the team until they ran into the camp where we were toobtain a fresh relay, and there I succeeded in checking them. The GrandDuke said he didn't want any more of that kind of driving, as hepreferred to go a little slower. 

On arriving at the railroad, the Duke invited me into his car, and mademe some valuable presents, at the same time giving me a cordialinvitation to visit him, if ever I should come to his country. 

General Sheridan took occasion to remind me of an invitation to visit NewYork which I had received from some of the gentlemen who accompanied theGeneral on the hunt from Fort McPherson to Hays City, in September of theprevious year. Said he:

"You will never have a better opportunity to accept that invitation thannow. I have had a talk with General Ord concerning you, and he will giveyou a leave of absence whenever you are ready to start. Write a letter toGeneral Stager, of Chicago, that you are now prepared to accept theinvitation, and he will send you a pass. "

Thanking the General for his kindness, I then bade him and the Grand Dukegood-bye, and soon their train was out of sight. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

SIGHT-SEEING. 

General Ord, commanding the Department of the Platte at the time, and whohad been out on the Alexis hunt, had some business to attend to at FortMcPherson, and I accepted his invitation to ride over to the post withhim in an ambulance. On the way thither he asked me how I would like tohave an officer's commission in the regular army. He said that GeneralSheridan and himself had had some conversation about the matter, and if Iwanted a commission, one could easily be procured for me. I thankedGeneral Ord for his kindness, and said that although an officer'scommission in the regular army was a tempting prize, yet I preferred toremain in the position I was then holding. He concluded by stating thatif at any time I should wish a commission, all that I would have to do tosecure it would be to inform him of my desire. 

Having determined to visit New York, I acted upon General Sheridan'ssuggestion and wrote to General Stager, from whom in a few days Ireceived my railroad passes. Obtaining thirty days' leave of absence fromthe department, I struck out for the East. On arriving in Chicago, inFebruary, 1872, I was met at the dépôt by Colonel M. V. Sheridan, who saidthat his brother, the General, had not yet returned, but had sent wordthat I was to be his and the Colonel's guest, at their house, while Iremained in Chicago. 

I spent two or three days very pleasantly in the great city of the West, meeting several of the gentlemen who had been out on the Sheridan hunt inSeptember--General Stager, Colonel Wilson, editor of the _Journal_; Mr. Sam Johnson, General Rucker and others--by all of whom I was mostcordially received and well entertained. I was introduced to quite anumber of the best people of the city, and was invited to several "swell"dinners. I also accompanied General Sheridan--who meantime had returnedto the city--to a ball at Riverside--an aristocratic suburb. 

[Illustration: AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION]

On this occasion I became so embarrassed that it was more difficult forme to face the throng of beautiful ladies, than it would have been toconfront a hundred hostile Indians. This was my first trip to the East, and I had not yet become accustomed to being stared at. And besidesthis, the hundreds of questions which I was called upon to answer furtherembarrassed and perplexed me. 

According to the route laid out for me by General Stager, I was to stopat Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Rochester on my way to New York, and heprovided me with all the necessary railroad passes. Just as I was aboutto leave Chicago I met Professor Henry A. Ward, of Rochester, for whomduring the previous year or two I had collected a large number ofspecimens of wild animals. He was on his way to Rochester, and kindlyvolunteered to act as my guide until we reached that point. We spent oneday in viewing the wonders of Niagara, and I stopped one day at Rochesterand was shown the beauties of that handsome city by Professor Ward, and Ihad the honor of receiving an invitation to dine with the Mayor. 

On arriving at New York I was met at the dépôt by Mr. J. G. Hecksher, whohad been appointed as "a committee of one" to escort me to the UnionClub, where James Gordon Bennett, Leonard W. Jerome and others were togive me an informal reception, and where I was to make my headquartersduring my visit in the great metropolis. I had an elegant dinner at theclub rooms, with the gentlemen who had been out on the September hunt, and other members of the club. 

After dinner, in company with Mr. Hecksher--who acted as my guide--Istarted out on the trail of my friend, Ned Buntline, whom we found at theBrevoort Place Hotel. He was delighted to see me, and insisted on mybecoming his guest. He would listen to no excuses, and on introducing meto Messrs. Overton & Blair, proprietors of the Brevoort, they also gaveme a pressing invitation to make my home at their house. I finallycompromised the matter by agreeing to divide my time between the UnionClub, the Brevoort House, and Ned Buntline's quarters. 

The next few days I spent in viewing the sights of New York, everythingbeing new and startling, convincing me that as yet I had seen but a smallportion of the world. I received numerous dinner invitations, as well asinvitations to visit different places of amusement and interest; but asthey came in so thick and fast, I soon became badly demoralized andconfused. I found I had accepted invitations to dine at half a dozen ormore houses on the same day and at the same hour. James Gordon Bennetthad prepared a dinner for me, at which quite a large number of hisfriends were to be present, but owing to my confusion, arising from themany other invitations I had received, I forgot all about it, and dinedelsewhere. This was "a bad break, " but I did not learn of my mistakeuntil next day, when at the Union Club House several gentlemen, amongthem Lawrence Jerome, inquired "where in the world I had been, " and why Ihad not put in an appearance at Bennett's dinner. They said that Bennetthad taken great pains to give me a splendid reception, that the party hadwaited till nine o'clock for me, and that my non-arrival causedconsiderable disappointment. I apologized as well as I could, by sayingthat I had been out on a scout and had got lost, and had forgotten allabout the dinner; and expressed my regret for the disappointment I hadcreated by my forgetfulness. August Belmont, the banker, being near said:

"Never mind, gentlemen, I'll give Cody a dinner at my house. "

"Thank you, sir, " said I; "I see you are determined that I shall not runshort of rations while I am in the city. I'll be there, sure. "

Both Mr. Jerome and Mr. Hecksher told me that I must not disappoint Mr. Belmont, for his dinners were splendid affairs. I made a note of thedate, and at the appointed time I was promptly at Mr. Belmont's mansion, where I spent a very enjoyable evening. 

Mr. Bennett, who was among the guests, having forgiven my carelessness, invited me to accompany him to the Liederkranz masked ball, which was totake place in a few evenings, and would be a grand spectacle. Together weattended the ball, and during the evening I was well entertained. Thedancers kept on their masks until midnight, and the merry and motleythrong presented a brilliant scene, moving gracefully beneath the brightgas-light to the inspiriting music. To me it was a novel and entertainingsight, and in many respects reminded me greatly of an Indian war-dance. 

Acting upon the suggestion of Mr. Bennett, I had dressed myself in mybuckskin suit, and I naturally attracted considerable attention;especially when I took part in the dancing and exhibited some of mybackwoods steps, which, although not as graceful as some, were a greatdeal more emphatic. But when I undertook to do artistic dancing, I foundI was decidedly out of place in that crowd, and I accordingly withdrewfrom the floor. 

I occasionally passed an evening at Niblo's Garden, viewing the manybeauties of "The Black Crook, " which was then having its long run, underthe management of Jarrett & Palmer, whose acquaintance I had made, andwho extended to me the freedom of the theater. 

Ned Buntline and Fred Maeder had dramatized one of the stories which theformer had written about me for the _New York Weekly_. The drama wascalled "Buffalo Bill, the King of Border Men. " While I was in New York itwas produced at the Bowery Theater; J. B. Studley, an excellent actor, appearing in the character of "Buffalo Bill, " and Mrs. W. G. Jones, a fineactress, taking the part of my sister, a leading _rôle_. I was curious tosee how I would look when represented by some one else, and of course Iwas present on the opening night, a private box having been reserved forme. The theater was packed, every seat being occupied as well as thestanding-room. The drama was played smoothly, and created a great deal ofenthusiasm. 

The audience, upon learning that the real "Buffalo Bill" was present, gave several cheers between the acts, and I was called on to come out onthe stage and make a speech. Mr. Freleigh, the manager, insisted that Ishould comply with the request, and that I should be introduced to Mr. Studley. I finally consented, and the next moment I found myself standingbehind the footlights and in front of an audience for the first time inmy life. I looked up, then down, then on each side, and everywhere I sawa sea of human faces, and thousands of eyes all staring at me. I confessthat I felt very much embarrassed--never more so in my life--and I knewnot what to say. I made a desperate effort, and a few words escaped me, but what they were I could not for the life of me tell, nor could any oneelse in the house. My utterances were inaudible even to the leader of theorchestra, Mr. Dean, who was sitting only a few feet in front of me. Bowing to the audience, I beat a hasty retreat into one of the cañons ofthe stage. I never felt more relieved in my life than when I got out ofthe view of that immense crowd. That evening Mr. Freleigh offered togive me five hundred dollars a week to play the part of "Buffalo Bill"myself. I thought that he was certainly joking, especially as he hadwitnessed my awkward performance; but when he assured me that he was inearnest, I told him that it would be useless for me to attempt anythingof the kind, for I never could talk to a crowd of people like that, evenif it was to save my neck, and that he might as well try to make an actorout of a government mule. I thanked him for the generous offer, which Ihad to decline owing to a lack of confidence in myself; or as some peoplemight express it, I didn't have the requisite cheek to undertake a thingof that sort. The play of "Buffalo Bill" had a very successful run of sixor eight weeks, and was afterwards produced in all the principal citiesof the country, everywhere being received with genuine enthusiasm. 

I had been in New York about twenty days when General Sheridan arrived inthe city. I met him soon after he got into town. In answer to a questionhow I was enjoying myself, I replied that I had struck the best camp Ihad ever seen, and if he didn't have any objections I would like to havemy leave of absence extended about ten days. This he willingly did, andthen informed me that my services would soon be required at FortMcPherson, as there was to be an expedition sent out from that point. 

At Westchester, Pennsylvania, I had some relatives living whom I hadnever seen, and now being so near, I determined to make them a visit. Upon mentioning the matter to Buntline, he suggested that we shouldtogether take a trip to Philadelphia, and thence run out to Westchester. Accordingly the next day found us in the "City of Brotherly Love, " and ina few hours we arrived at the home of my uncle, General Henry R. Guss, the proprietor of the Green Tree Hotel, who gave us a cordial reception. 

Inviting us into the parlor, my uncle brought in the members of hisfamily, among them an elderly lady, who was my grandmother, as heinformed me. He told me that my Aunt Eliza, his first wife, was dead, andthat he had married a second time; Lizzie Guss, my cousin, I thought wasthe most beautiful girl I had ever seen. They were all very anxious tohave us remain several days, but as I had some business to attend to inNew York, I was obliged to return that day. Assuring them, however, thatI would visit them again soon, I bade them adieu, and with Buntline tookthe train for New York. 

The time soon arrived for my departure for the West; so packing up mytraps I started for home, and on the way thither I spent a day with myWestchester relatives, who did everything in their power to entertain meduring my brief stay with them. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

HONORS. 

Upon reaching Fort McPherson, I found that the Third Cavalry, commandedby General Reynolds, had arrived from Arizona, in which Territory theyhad been on duty for some time, and where they had acquired quite areputation on account of their Indian fighting qualities. 

Shortly after my return, a small party of Indians made a dash onMcPherson Station, about five miles from the fort, killing two or threemen and running off quite a large number of horses. Captain Meinhold andLieutenant Lawson with their company were ordered out to pursue andpunish the Indians if possible. I was the guide of the expedition and hadas an assistant T. B. Omohundro, better known as "Texas Jack" and who wasa scout at the post. 

Finding the trail, I followed it for two days, although it was difficulttrailing because the red-skins had taken every possible precaution toconceal their tracks. On the second day Captain Meinhold went into campon the South Fork of the Loupe, at a point where the trail was badlyscattered. Six men were detailed to accompany me on a scout in search ofthe camp of the fugitives. We had gone but a short distance when wediscovered Indians camped, not more than a mile away, with horses grazingnear by. They were only a small party, and I determined to charge uponthem with my six men, rather than return to the command, because I fearedthey would see us as we went back and then they would get away from usentirely. I asked the men if they were willing to attempt it, and theyreplied that they would follow me wherever I would lead them. That wasthe kind of spirit that pleased me, and we immediately moved forward onthe enemy, getting as close to them as possible without being seen. 

I finally gave the signal to charge, and we dashed into the little campwith a yell. Five Indians sprang out of a willow tepee, and greeted uswith a volley, and we returned the fire. I was riding Buckskin Joe, whowith a few jumps brought me up to the tepee, followed by my men. Wenearly ran over the Indians who were endeavoring to reach their horses onthe opposite side of the creek. Just as one was jumping the narrow streama bullet from my old "Lucretia" overtook him. He never reached the otherbank, but dropped dead in the water. Those of the Indians who wereguarding the horses, seeing what was going on at the camp, came rushingto the rescue of their friends. I now counted thirteen braves, but as wehad already disposed of two, we had only eleven to take care of. The oddswere nearly two to one against us. 

While the Indian reinforcements were approaching the camp I jumped thecreek with Buckskin Joe to meet them, expecting our party would followme; but as they could not induce their horses to make the leap, I was theonly one who got over. I ordered the sergeant to dismount his men, andleaving one to hold the horses, to come over with the rest and help medrive the Indians off. Before they could do this, two mounted warriorsclosed in on me and were shooting at short range. I returned their fireand had the satisfaction of seeing one of them fall from his horse. Atthis moment I felt blood trickling down my forehead, and hastily runningmy hand through my hair I discovered that I had received a scalp wound. The Indian, who had shot me, was not more than ten yards away, and whenhe saw his partner tumble from his saddle, he turned to run. 

By this time the soldiers had crossed the creek to assist me, and wereblazing away at the other Indians. Urging Buckskin Joe forward, I wassoon alongside of the chap who had wounded me, when raising myself in thestirrups I shot him through the head. 

The reports of our guns had been heard by Captain Meinhold, who at oncestarted with his company up the creek to our aid, and when the remainingIndians, whom we were still fighting, saw these reinforcements comingthey whirled their horses and fled; as their steeds were quite fresh theymade their escape. However, we killed six out of the thirteen Indians, and captured most of their stolen stock. Our loss was one man killed, andone man--myself--slightly wounded. One of our horses was killed, andBuckskin Joe was wounded, but I didn't discover the fact until some timeafterwards as he had been shot in the breast and showed no signs ofhaving received a scratch of any kind. Securing the scalps of the deadIndians and other trophies we returned to the fort. 

I made several other scouts during the summer with different officers ofthe Third Cavalry, one being with Major Alick Moore, a good officer, with whom I was out for thirty days. Another long one was with MajorCurtis, with whom I followed some Indians from the South Platte river toFort Randall on the Missouri river in Dakota, on which trip the commandran out of rations and for fifteen days subsisted entirely upon the gamewe killed. 

In the fall of 1872 the Earl of Dunraven and Dr. Kingsley with severalfriends came to Fort McPherson with a letter from General Sheridan, asking me to accompany them on an elk hunt. I did so, and I afterwardsspent several weeks in hunting with the Earl of Dunraven, who was athorough sportsman and an excellent hunter. It was while I was out withthe Earl, that a Chicago party--friends of General Sheridan--arrived atFort McPherson for the purpose of going out on a hunt. They, too, had aletter from, the General requesting me to go with them. The Earl had notyet finished his hunt, but as I had been out with him for several weeks, and he had by this time learned where to find plenty of elks and othergame, I concluded to leave him and accompany the Chicago party. Iinformed him of my intention and gave him my reasons for going, at thesame time telling him that I would send him one of my scouts, Texas Jack, who was a good hunter, and would be glad to accompany him. The Earlseemed to be somewhat offended at this, and I don't think he has everforgiven me for "going back on him. " Let that be as it may, he foundTexas Jack a splendid hunter and guide, and Jack has been his guide onseveral hunts since. 

[Illustration: TEXAS JACK]

Among the gentlemen who composed the Chicago party were E. P. Green, --son-in-law of Remington, the rifle manufacturer, --AlexanderSample, Mr. Milligan, of the firm of Heath & Milligan, of Chicago, andseveral others, whose names I do not now remember. Mr. Milligan was aman full of life, and was continually "boiling over with fun. " He was aregular velocipede, so to speak, and was here, there, and everywhere. He was exceedingly desirous of having an Indian fight on the trip, notthat he was naturally a blood-thirsty man but just for variety hewanted a little "Indian pie. " He was in every respect the life of theparty, during the entire time that we were out. One day while he washunting with Sample and myself we came in sight of a band of thirtymounted Indians. 

"Milligan, here's what you've been wanting for some time, " said I, "foryonder is a war party of Indians and no mistake; and they'll come forus, you bet. "

"I don't believe this is one of my fighting days, " replied Milligan, "andit occurs to me that I have urgent business at the camp. "

Our camp was five or six miles distant on the Dismal river, and ourescort consisted of a company of cavalry commanded by Captain Russell. The soldiers were in camp, and Milligan thought that Captain Russellought to be at once notified of the appearance of these Indians. Knowingthat we could reach the camp in safety, for we were well mounted, Icontinued to have considerable amusement at Milligan's expense, whofinally said:

"Cody, what's making my hat raise up so. I can hardly keep it on myhead. "

Sample, who was as cool as a cucumber, said to Milligan: "There must besomething wrong with your hair. It must be trying to get on end. "

"It's all very fine for you fellows to stand here and talk, " repliedMilligan, "but I am not doing justice to my family by remaining. Sample, I think we are a couple of old fools to have come out here, and I neverwould have done so if it had not been for you. "

By this time the Indians had discovered us and were holding aconsultation, and Milligan turned his horse in the direction of the camp. I never believed that he was half as scared as he seemed to be, but thathe was merely pretending so that we could enjoy our joke. However, we didnot wait any longer but rode into camp and notified Captain Russell, whoimmediately started with his company to pursue the band. 

While we were riding along with the company Milligan said to Sample:"Now, Alick, let them come on. We may yet go back to Chicago coveredwith glory. "

We struck the trail going north, but as we had not come out on a scoutfor Indians, we concluded not to follow them; although Milligan was nowvery anxious to proceed and clean them out. 

The hunt came to an end in a day or two, and we escorted the visitinghunters to North Platte, where they took the train for Chicago. Beforetheir departure they extended to me a very cordial invitation to come totheir city on a visit, promising that I should be well taken care of. 

Soon after this I had the pleasure of guiding a party of gentlemen fromOmaha on a buffalo hunt. Among the number were Judge Dundy, ColonelWatson B. Smith, and U. S. District Attorney Neville. We left FortMcPherson in good trim. I was greatly amused at the "style" of Mr. Neville, who wore a stove-pipe hat and a swallow-tail coat, which made upa very comical rig for a buffalo hunter. As we galloped over the prairie, he jammed his hat down over his ears to keep it from being shaken off hishead, and in order to stick to his horse, he clung to the pommel of hissaddle. He was not much of a rider, and he went bouncing up and down, with his swallow-tails flopping in the air. The sight I shall neverforget, for it was enough to make a "horse laugh, " and I actually believeold Buckskin Joe did laugh. 

However, we had a splendid hunt, and on the second day I lariated, orroped, a big buffalo bull and tied him to a tree, --a feat which I hadoften performed, and which the gentlemen requested me to do on thisoccasion for their benefit, as they had heard of my skill with thelariat. I captured several other buffaloes in the same way. The gentlemenreturned to Omaha well pleased with their hunt. 

In the fall of the year, 1872, a convention was held at Grand Island, when some of my friends made me their candidate to represent theTwenty-sixth District in the legislature of Nebraska; but as I had alwaysbeen a Democrat and the State was largely Republican, I had no idea ofbeing elected. In fact I cared very little about it, and therefore madeno effort whatever to secure an election. However, I was elected and thatis the way in which I acquired my title of Honorable. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

AN ACTOR. 

During the summer and fall of 1872, I received numerous letters from NedBuntline, urging me to come East and go upon the stage to represent myown character. "There's money in it, " he wrote, "and you will prove a bigcard, as your character is a novelty on the stage. "

At times I almost determined to make the venture; but the recollection ofthat night when I stood on the stage of the Bowery Theatre and was unableto utter a word above a whisper, would cause me to stop and think andbecome irresolute. I feared that I would be a total failure, and wroteBuntline to that effect. But he insisted that I would soon get over allthat embarrassment, and become accustomed to the stage, so that I wouldthink no more of appearing before five thousand people than I wouldbefore half a dozen. He proposed to organize a good company, and wishedme to meet him in Chicago, where the opening performance would be given. 

I remained undecided as to what I ought to do. The officers at the fortas well as my family and friends to whom I had mentioned the matter, laughed at the idea of my ever becoming an actor. That I, an old scoutwho had never seen more than twenty or thirty theatrical performances inmy life, should think of going upon the stage, was ridiculous in theextreme--so they all said. 

A few days after my election to the legislature a happy event occurred inmy family circle, in the birth of a daughter whom we named Ora; about thesame time I received another letter from Buntline, in which he requestedme to appear on the stage for a few months as an experiment; and he saidthat if I made a failure or did not like the business, I could easilyreturn to my old life. 

My two sisters who had been living with us had married, --Nellie, to A. C. Jester, a cattle man, and May, to Ed. Bradford, a railroadengineer--and consequently left us; and my wife had been wishing for along time to visit her parents in St. Louis. Taking these and otherthings into consideration I finally resolved to resign my seat in thelegislature and try my luck behind the footlights. I informed GeneralReynolds of my determination, telling him at the same time that at theend of the month, November, I would resign my position under him. TheGeneral regretted to hear this, and advised me not to take the step, forI was leaving a comfortable little home, where I was sure of making agood living for my family; while, on the other hand, I was embarkingupon a sea of uncertainty. Having once made up my mind, however, nothingcould change it. 

While I was selling my horses and other effects, preparatory to leavingthe fort, one of my brother scouts, Texas Jack, said that he would liketo accompany me. Now as Jack had also appeared as the hero in one ofNed Buntline's stories, I thought that he would make as good a "star"as myself, and it was accordingly arranged that Jack should go with me. On our way East we stopped in Omaha a day or two to visit General Augurand other officers, and also the gentlemen who were out on the JudgeDundy hunt. Judge Dundy and his friends gave a dinner party in my honorat the leading restaurant and entertained me very handsomely during mystay in the city. 

At Omaha I parted with my family, who went to St. Louis, while Jack andmyself proceeded to Chicago. Ned Buntline and Mr. Milligan, having beenapprised of our coming by a telegram, met us at the dépôt. Mr. Milliganaccompanied us to the Sherman House, where he had made arrangements forus to be his guests while we remained in the city. I didn't see much ofBuntline that evening, as he hurried off to deliver a temperance lecturein one of the public halls. The next day we met him by appointment, andthe first thing he said, was:

"Boys, are you ready for business?"

"I can't answer that, " replied I, "for we don't know what we aregoing to do. "

"It's all arranged, " said he, "and you'll have no trouble whatever. Comewith me. We'll go and see Nixon, manager of the Amphitheatre. That's theplace where we are to play. We'll open there next Monday night. " Jack andmyself accordingly accompanied him to manager Nixon's office withoutsaying a word, as we didn't know what to say. 

"Here we are, Mr. Nixon, " said Buntline; "here are the stars for you. Here are the boys; and they are a fine pair to draw too. Now, Nixon, I amprepared for business. "

Nixon and Buntline had evidently had a talk about the terms of ourengagement. Buntline, it seems, was to furnish the company, the drama, and the pictorial printing, and was to receive sixty per cent. Of thegross receipts for his share; while Nixon was to furnish the theater, the_attachés_, the orchestra, and the local printing; and receive forty percent. Of the gross receipts. 

"I am ready for you, Buntline. Have you got your company yet?"asked Nixon. 

"No, sir; but there are plenty of idle theatrical people in town, and Ican raise a company in two hours, " was his reply. 

"You haven't much time to spare, if you open on Monday night, " saidNixon. "If you will allow me to look at your drama, to see what kind ofpeople you want, I'll assist you in organizing your company. "

"I have not yet written the drama, " said Buntline. 

"What the deuce do you mean? This is Wednesday, and you propose to openon next Monday night. The idea is ridiculous. Here you are at this latehour without a company and without a drama. This will never do, Buntline. I shall have to break my contract with you, for you can't possibly writea drama, cast it, and rehearse it properly for Monday night. Furthermore, you have no pictorial printing as yet. These two gentlemen, whom you havewith you, have never been on the stage, and they certainly must have timeto study their parts. It is preposterous to think of opening on Mondaynight, and I'll cancel the engagement. "

This little speech was delivered in rather an excited manner by Mr. Nixon. Buntline said that he would write the drama that day and alsoselect his company and have them at the theater for rehearsal nextmorning. Nixon laughed at him, and said that there was no use of tryingto undertake anything of the kind in so short a time--it was utterlyimpossible to do it. Buntline, whose ire was rising, said to Nixon:

"What rent will you ask for your theater for next week?"

"Six hundred dollars, " was the reply. 

"Well, sir, I'll take your theater for next week at that price, and hereis half of the amount in advance, " said Buntline, as he threw down threehundred dollars on the stand. 

Nixon took the money, gave a receipt for it, and had nothing more to say. 

"Now, come with me boys, " said Buntline; and away we went to the hotel. Buntline immediately obtained a supply of pens, ink and paper, and thenengaged all the hotel clerks as penmen. In less than an hour after he hadrented the theater, he was dashing off page after page of his proposeddrama--the work being done in his room at the hotel. He then set hisclerks at copying for him, and at the end of four hours, he jumped upfrom the table, and enthusiastically shouted:

"Hurrah for 'The Scouts of the Plains!' That's the name of the play. Thework is done. Hurrah!"

The parts were then all copied off separately by the clerks, and handingus our respective portions Buntline said:

"Now, boys, go to work, and do your level best to have this dead-letterperfect for the rehearsal, which takes place to-morrow morning at teno'clock, prompt. I want to show Nixon that we'll be ready on time. "

[Illustration: STUDYING THE PARTS. ]

I looked at my part and then at Jack; and Jack looked at his part andthen at me. Then we looked at each other, and then at Buntline. We didnot know what to make of the man. 

"How long will it take you to commit your part to memory, Bill?"asked Jack. 

"About six months, as near as I can calculate. How long will it takeyou?" answered I. 

"It will take me about that length of time to learn the first line, " saidJack. Nevertheless we went to our room and commenced studying. I thoughtit was the hardest work I had ever done. 

"This is dry business, " finally remarked Jack. 

"That's just what it is, " I answered; "jerk the bell, Jack. " The bell-boysoon appeared. We ordered refreshments; after partaking thereof weresumed our task. We studied hard for an hour or two, but finally gave itup as a bad job, although we had succeeded in committing a small portionto memory. Buntline now came into the room and said:

"Boys, how are you getting along?"

"I guess we'll have to go back on this studying business as it isn't our_forte_" said I. 

"Don't weaken now, Bill; you'll come out on the top of the heap yet. Letme hear you recite your part, " said Buntline. I began "spouting" what Ihad learned, but was interrupted by Buntline:

"Tut! tut! you're not saying it right. You must stop at the cue. "

"Cue! What the mischief do you mean by the cue? I never saw any cueexcept in a billiard room, " said I. Buntline thereupon explained it tome, as well as to Jack, who was ignorant as myself concerning the"cue" business. 

"Jack, I think we had better back out and go to hunting again, " said I. 

"See here, boys; it won't do to go back on me at this stage of the game. Stick to it, and it may be the turning point in your lives and lead youon to fortune and to fame. "

"A fortune is what we are after, and we'll at least give the wheel a turnor two and see what luck we have, " said I. This satisfied Buntline, butwe didn't study any more after he left us. The next morning we appearedat rehearsal and were introduced to the company. The first rehearsal washardly a success; and the succeeding ones were not much better. The stagemanager did his best to teach Jack and myself what to do, but when Mondaynight came we didn't know much more about it than when we began. 

The clock struck seven, and then we put on our buckskin suits, which werethe costumes we were to appear in. The theater was being rapidly filled, and it was evident that we were going to make our _début_ before a packedhouse. As the minutes passed by, Jack and I became more and more nervous. We occasionally looked through the holes in the curtain, and saw that thepeople were continuing to crowd into the theatre; our nervousnessincreased to an uncomfortable degree. 

When, at length the curtain arose, our courage had returned, so that wethought we could face the immense crowd; yet when the time came for usto go on, we were rather slow in making our appearance. As we steppedforth we were received with a storm of applause, which we acknowledgedwith a bow. 

[Illustration: BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS. ]

Buntline, who was taking the part of "Cale Durg, " appeared, and gave methe "cue" to speak "my little piece, " but for the life of me I could notremember a single word. Buntline saw I was "stuck, " and a happy thoughtoccurred to him. He said--as if it were in the play:

"Where have you been, Bill? What has kept you so long?"

Just then my eye happened to fall on Mr. Milligan, who was surrounded byhis friends, the newspaper reporters, and several military officers, allof whom had heard of his hunt and "Indian fight"--he being a very popularman, and widely known in Chicago. So I said:

"I have been out on a hunt with Milligan. "

This proved to be a big hit. The audience cheered and applauded; whichgave me greater confidence in my ability to get through the performanceall right. Buntline, who is a very versatile man, saw that it would be agood plan to follow this up, and he said:

"Well, Bill, tell us all about the hunt. "

I thereupon proceeded to relate in detail the particulars of the affair. I succeeded in making it rather funny, and I was frequently interruptedby rounds of applause. Whenever I began to "weaken, " Buntline would giveme a fresh start, by asking some question. In this way I took up fifteenminutes, without once speaking a word of my part; nor did I speak a wordof it during the whole evening. The prompter, who was standing betweenthe wings, attempted to prompt me, but it did no good; for while I was onthe stage I "chipped in" anything I thought of. 

"The Scouts of the Plains" was an Indian drama, of course; and there werebetween forty and fifty "supers" dressed as Indians. In the fight withthem, Jack and I were at home. We blazed away at each other with blankcartridges; and when the scene ended in a hand-to-hand encounter--ageneral knock-down and drag-out--the way Jack and I killed Indians was "acaution. " We would kill them all off in one act, but they would come upagain ready for business in the next. Finally the curtain dropped; theplay was ended; and I congratulated Jack and myself on having made such abrilliant and-successful _début_. There was no backing out after that. 

The next morning there appeared in the Chicago papers some very funnycriticisms on our first performance. The papers gave us a better send-offthan I expected, for they did not criticise us as actors. The _ChicagoTimes_ said that if Buntline had actually spent four hours in writingthat play, it was difficult for any one to see what he had been doing allthe time. Buntline, as "Cale Durg, " was killed in the second act, after along temperance speech; and the _Inter-Ocean_ said that it was to beregretted that he had not been killed in the first act. The company, however, was very good, and Mdlle. Morlacchi, as "Pale Dove, "particularly fine; while Miss Cafarno "spouted" a poem of some sevenhundred and three verses, more or less, of which the reader will be gladto know that I only recall the words "I was born in March. "

Our engagement proved a decided success financially, if not artistically. Nixon was greatly surprised at the result, and at the end of the week heinduced Buntline to take him in as a partner in the company. 

The next week we played at DeBar's Opera House, in St. Louis, doing animmense business. The following week we were at Cincinnati, where thetheater was so crowded every night that hundreds were unable to obtainadmission. We met with equal success all over the country. Theatricalmanagers, upon hearing of this new and novel combination; which wasdrawing such tremendous houses, were all anxious to secure us; and wereceived offers of engagements at all the leading theaters. We playedone week at the Boston Theater, and the gross receipts amounted to$16, 200. We also appeared at Niblo's Garden, New York, the theater beingcrowded to its utmost capacity every night of the engagement. At the ArchStreet Theater, Philadelphia, it was the same way. There was not a singlecity where we did not have crowded houses. 

We closed our tour on the 16th of June, 1873, at Port Jervis, New York, and when I counted up my share of the profits I found that I was onlyabout $6, 000 ahead. I was somewhat disappointed, for, judging from ourlarge business, I certainly had expected a greater sum. 

Texas Jack and myself longed for a hunt on the Western prairies oncemore; and on meeting in New York a party of gentlemen who were desirousof going with us, we all started Westward, and after a pleasant triparrived at Fort McPherson. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

STARRING. 

Texas Jack and I spent several weeks in hunting in the western part ofNebraska, and at the end of our vacation we felt greatly re-invigoratedand ready for another theatrical campaign. We accordingly proceeded toNew York and organized a company for the season of 1873-74. Thinking thatWild Bill would be quite an acquisition to the troupe, we wrote to him atSpringfield, Missouri, offering him a large salary if he would play withus that winter. He was doing nothing at the time, and we thought that hewould like to take a trip through the States, as he had never been East. 

Wild Bill accepted our offer, and came on to New York; though he told usfrom the start that we could never make an actor out of him. Although hehad a fine stage appearance and was a handsome fellow, and possessed agood strong voice, yet when he went upon the stage before an audience, it was almost impossible for him to utter a word. He insisted that wewere making a set of fools of ourselves, and that we were thelaughing-stock of the people. I replied that I did not care for that, aslong as they came and bought tickets to see us. 

Wild Bill was continually playing tricks upon the members of thecompany, and it was his especial delight to torment the "supers. " Quitefrequently in our sham Indian battles he would run up to the "Indians"(the supers), and putting his pistol close to their legs, would fire atthem and burn them with the powder, instead of shooting over theirheads. This would make them dance and jump, so that it was difficult tomake them fall and die--although they were paid twenty-five cents eachfor performing the "dying business. " The poor "supers" often complainedto me about this, and threatened not to go on the stage and be killedagain if that man Wild Bill did not stop shooting and burning theirlegs. I would order Wild Bill to stop his mischief; he would laugh andthen promise not to do it any more. But it would not be long before hewas at his old tricks again. 

My company, known as the "Buffalo Bill Combination, " did a fine business, all through the East. Wild Bill continued his pranks, which caused usconsiderable annoyance, but at the same time greatly amused us. 

One day at Titusville, Pennsylvania, while Burke, the business agent, wasregistering our names and making arrangements for our accommodation, several of us started for the billiard room; but were met by thelandlord, who stopped me and said that there was a party of roughs fromthe lower oil region who were spreeing, and had boasted that they werestaying in town to meet the Buffalo Bill gang and clean them out. Thelandlord begged of me not to allow the members of the troupe to enter thebilliard room, as he did not wish any fight in his house. To please thelandlord, and at his suggestion, I called the boys up into the parlor andexplained to them the situation. Wild Bill wanted to go at once and fightthe whole mob, but I persuaded him to keep away from them during the day. 

In order to entirely avoid the roughs, the members of the company enteredthe theater through a private door from the hotel, as the two buildingsjoined each other. While I was standing at the door of the theater takingthe tickets, the landlord of the hotel came rushing up and said that WildBill was having a fight with the roughs in the bar-room. It seemed thatBill had not been able to resist the temptation of going to see what kindof a mob it was that wanted to test the pluck of the Buffalo Bill party;and just as he stepped into the room, one of the bruisers put his hand onhis shoulder and said:

"Hello, Buffalo Bill! we have been looking for you all day. "

"My name is not Buffalo Bill; you are mistaken in the man, " wasthe reply. 

"You are a liar!" said the bruiser. 

Bill instantly knocked him down, and then seizing a chair he laid outfour or five of the crowd on the floor, and drove the rest out of theroom. All this was done in a minute or two, and by the time I got downstairs, Bill was coming out of the bar-room, whistling a lively tune. 

"Well!" said he, "I have been interviewing that party who wanted toclean us out. "

"I thought you promised to come into the Opera House by the privateentrance?"

"I did try to follow that trail, but I got lost among the cañons, andthen I ran in among the hostiles, " said he; "but it is all right now. They won't bother us any more. I guess those fellows have found us. " Andsure enough they had. We heard no more of them after that. 

Another incident occurred, one night, at Portland, Maine. Bill found itimpossible to go to sleep at the hotel on account of the continuedtalking of some parties who were engaged in a game of cards in anadjoining room. He called to them several times to make less noise, butthey paid little or no attention to him. He finally got up and went tothe room with the intention of cleaning out the whole crowd. He knockedand was admitted; greatly to his surprise, he found the party to be somemerchants of the city, whom he had met the previous day. They wereplaying poker, and invited him to take a hand. Bill sat down at thetable, and said that, inasmuch as they would not let him sleep, hewouldn't mind playing for a while, provided they would post him a littlein the game, for he didn't know much about it. At first he didn't playvery well, intentionally making many blunders and asking numerousquestions; but when morning came, he was about seven hundred dollarsahead. Bill put the money in his pocket, and just as he was leaving theroom he advised them never to wake a man up and invite him to play poker. 

[Illustration: LEARNING THE GAME. ]

Wild Bill remained with me until we reached Rochester. I met my familythere, and having bought some property in that city, with the intentionof making the place my home, I asked Bill not to cut up any of hiscapers, for I wanted the performance to go off smoothly, as I expected alarge audience that evening. He, of course, promised to behave himself. When the curtain rose the house was crowded. The play proceeded finelyuntil the Indian fight in the second act, when Bill amused himself by hisold trick of singeing the legs of the "supers. "

After the curtain dropped, the "supers" complained to me about it. Bill's conduct made me angry, and I told him that he must either stopshooting the "supers, " or leave the company. He made no reply, but wentto the dressing-room and changed his buckskin suit for his citizen'sdress, and during one of my scenes I looked down in front and saw himelbowing his way through the audience and out of the theater. When I hadfinished the scene, and had retired from the stage, the stage-carpentercame up and said:

"That long-haired gentleman, who passed out a few minutes ago, requestedme to tell you that you could go to thunder with your old show. "

That was the last time that Wild Bill and I ever performed together onthe stage. After the evening's entertainment I met him at the OsbornHouse. By this time he had recovered from his mad fit and was in as goodhumor as ever. He had made up his mind to leave for the West the nextday. I endeavored to persuade him to remain with me till spring, and thenwe would go together; but it was of no use. I then paid him the money duehim, and Jack and myself made him a present of $1, 000 besides. 

Bill went to New York the next day, intending to start west from there. Several days afterwards I learned that he had lost all his money in NewYork by playing faro; also that a theatrical manager had engaged him toplay. A company was organized and started out, but as a "star" Wild Billwas not a success; the further he went the poorer he got. This didn'tsuit Bill by any means, and he accordingly retired from the stage. Thecompany, however, kept on the road, using Bill's name, and employing anactor to represent him not only on the stage but on the street andelsewhere. Bill heard of this deception and sent word to the manager tostop it, but no attention was paid to his message. 

Finally, Bill resolved to have satisfaction and he proceeded to a townwhere the company was to play; he entered the theater and took a seatnear the stage, and watched the performance until the bogus Wild Billappeared. He then sprang upon the stage, knocked the actor clear throughone of the scenes, and grabbing the manager by the shoulders he threw himover the foot-lights into the orchestra. 

[Illustration: GETTING SATISFACTION. ]

The other actors screamed and yelled "Police!" The audience could not atfirst understand what it all meant, some of them supposing the affair tobe a part of the play. 

Wild Bill retired from the stage in good order, resumed his seat, andtold them to go on with their show. A policeman now appearing, Bill waspointed out as the disturber of the peace; the officer tapping him on theshoulder, said:

"I'll have to arrest you, sir. "

"How many of you are there?" asked Bill. 

"Only myself, " said the policeman. 

"You had better get some help, " said Bill. The officer then called upanother policeman, and Bill again asked:

"How many of you are there now?"

"Two, " was the reply. 

"Then I advise you to go out and get some more reinforcements, " saidBill, very coolly. 

The policemen thereupon spoke to the sheriff, who was dressed incitizen's clothes. The sheriff came up and said he would have to take himinto custody. 

"All right, sir, " replied Bill, "I have no objections to walking out withyou, but I won't go with any two policemen. " At the court next morningBill stated his reasons for having acted as he had done, and the judgefined him only three dollars and costs. 

This was the last time that Wild Bill appeared on the stage. He shortlyafterwards returned to the West, and on arriving at Cheyenne, he visitedBoulder's gambling room and sat down at a faro table. No one in the roomrecognized him, as he had not been in Cheyenne for several years. Afterlosing two or three bets he threw down a fifty dollar bill and lost thatalso. Boulder quietly raked in the money. Bill placed a second fiftydollar note on another card, when Boulder informed him that the limit wastwenty-five dollars. 

"You have just taken in a fifty dollar bill which I lost, " said Bill. 

"Well you needn't make any more such bets, as I will not go above mylimit, " replied Boulder. 

"I'll just play that fifty dollar bill as it lays. If it loses, it'syours; if it wins, you'll pay me fifty dollars, or I'll know thereason why. "

"I am running this game, and I want no talk from you, sir, " said Boulder. 

One word brought on another, until Boulder threatened to have Bill putout of the house. Bill was carrying the butt end of a billiard cue for acane, and bending over the table, he said: "You'd rob a blind man. " Thenhe suddenly tapped Boulder on the head with the cane, with such force asto knock him over. With another sweep of the cane he tumbled the"look-out" from his chair, and then reaching over into the money drawerhe grabbed a handful of greenbacks and stuck them in his pocket. 

At this stage of the game four or five men--who were employed as"bouncers" for the establishment to throw out the noisy persons--rushedup to capture Bill, but he knocked them right and left with his cane, andseeing the whole crowd was now closing in on him, he jumped into acorner, and with each hand drew a revolver and faced the enemy. At thismoment the bar-keeper recognized him, and sang out in a loud voice:

"Look out boys--that's Wild Bill you've run against. "

That settled the matter; for when they heard the name of Wild Bill theyturned and beat a hasty retreat out of the doors and windows, and in lesstime than it takes to tell it, Wild Bill was the only man in the room. He coolly walked over to Dyer's hotel, and retired for the night. Boulderclaimed that he had taken $500, but he really got only $200. Boulder, upon learning that it was Wild Bill who had cleaned him out, said nothingmore about the money. The next day the two men met over a bottle of wine, and settled their differences in an amicable manner. 

Poor Bill was afterwards killed at Deadwood, in the Black Hills, in acowardly manner, by a desperado who sneaked up behind him while he wasplaying a game of cards in a saloon, and shot him through the back of thehead, without the least provocation. The murderer, Jack McCall, was triedand hung at Yankton, Dakotah, for the crime. Thus ended the career of alife-long friend of mine who, in spite of his many faults, was a nobleman, ever brave and generous hearted. 

Jack and myself continued playing through the country after Wild Billleft us, and we finally closed our season in Boston on the 13th ofMay, 1874. 

Business called me from Boston to New York, and after I had been there afew days, I met an English gentleman, Thomas P. Medley, of London, whohad come to America for a hunt on the Plains. He had often heard of me, and was anxious to engage me as his guide and companion, and he offeredto pay the liberal salary of one thousand dollars a month while I waswith him. He was a very wealthy man, as I learned upon inquiry, and was arelative of Mr. Lord, of the firm of Lord & Taylor, of New York. Ofcourse I accepted his offer. 

When we reached the hunting ground in Nebraska, he informed me, somewhatto my surprise, that he did not want to go out as Alexis did, withcarriages, servants, and other luxuries, but that he wished to rough itjust as I would do--to sleep on the ground in the open air, and kill andcook his own meat. We started out from North Platte, and spent severalweeks in hunting all over the county. Dr. W. F. Carver, who then residedat North Platte, and who has recently acquired considerable notoriety asa rifle-shot, hunted with us for a few days. 

Mr. Medley proved to be a very agreeable gentleman and an excellenthunter. While in camp he busied himself in carrying wood and water, attending to the fire, and preparing and cooking the meals, never askingme to do a thing. He did not do this to save expenses, but because hewanted to do as the other hunters in the party were doing. After spendingas much time as he wished, we returned to the railroad, and he took thetrain for the East. Everything that was required on this hunt was paidfor in the most liberal manner by Mr. Medley, who also gave the membersof the party several handsome presents. 

About this time an expedition consisting of seven companies of cavalryand two companies of infantry--to be commanded by Colonel Mills of theThird Cavalry, was being organized to scout the Powder River and Big Horncountry, and I was employed as guide for the command. Proceeding toRawlins, Wyoming, we "outfitted, " and other guides were engaged--amongthem Tom Sun and Bony Ernest, two noted Rocky Mountain scouts. We thereleft the railroad, and passing through the Seminole range of the RockyMountains we established our supply camp at the foot of Independence Rockon the Sweetwater. I was now on my old familiar stamping ground, and itseemed like home to me. Fifteen years before, I had ridden the ponyexpress and driven the overland stages through this region, and thecommand was going into the same section of country where Wild Bill'sexpedition of stage-drivers and express-riders had recaptured from theIndians a large number of stolen stage-horses. 

Leaving the infantry to guard the supply camp, Colonel Mills struck outfor the north with the seven companies of cavalry. One day while we wereresting on a prairie near the head of Powder river, a horseman was seenin the distance approaching us. At first it was thought he was an Indian, but as he came near we saw that he was a white man, and finally when herode up to us, I recognized him as "California Joe, " a noted scout andfrontiersman who had spent many years in California, on the plains and inthe mountains. He was armed with a heavy old Sharpe's rifle, a revolverand a knife. I introduced him to Colonel Mills and the other officers andasked him where he was going. He replied that he was out for a morningride only; but the fact was that he had been out prospecting alone forweeks along the foot of the Big Horn mountains. 

Having no permanent occupation just at that time, Joe accompanied us fortwo or three days, when Colonel Mills suggested that I had better employhim as a scout, so that he could make a little money for himself. Joedidn't seem to care whether I hired him or not; but I put him on thepay-roll, and while he was with us he drew his five dollars a day. It wasworth the money to have him along for company's sake, for he was a drollcharacter in his way, and afforded us considerable amusement. We finallysurprised Little Wolf's band of Arapahoes and drove them into theagencies. We then scouted the Powder river, Crazy Woman's Fork, and ClearFork, and then pushed westward through the mountains to the Wind river. After having been out for a month or two we were ordered to return. 

I immediately went East and organized another Dramatic company for theseason of 1874-75, Texas Jack being absent in the Yellowstone countryhunting with the Earl of Dunraven. I played my company in all theprincipal cities of the country, doing a good business wherever I went. The summer of 1875 I spent at Rochester with my family. 

For the season of 1875-6, Texas Jack and I reorganized our oldCombination, and made a very successful tour. While we were playing atSpringfield, Massachusetts, April 20th and 21st 1876, a telegram washanded me just as I was going on the stage. I opened it and found it tobe from Colonel G. W. Torrence, of Rochester, an intimate friend of thefamily, who stated that my little boy Kit was dangerously ill with thescarlet fever. This was indeed sad news, for little Kit had always beenmy greatest pride. I sent for John Burke, our business manager, andshowing him the telegram, told him that I would play the first act, andmaking a proper excuse to the audience, I would then take the nineo'clock train that same evening for Rochester, leaving him to play out mypart. This I did, and at ten o'clock the next morning I arrived inRochester, and was met at the dépôt by my intimate friend Moses Kerngoodwho at once drove me to my home. I found my little boy unable to speakbut he seemed to recognize me and putting his little arms around my neckhe tried to kiss me. We did everything in our power to save him, but itwas of no avail. The Lord claimed his own, and that evening at sixo'clock my beloved little Kit died in my arms. We laid him away to restin the beautiful cemetery of Mount Hope amid sorrow and tears. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

I RETURN TO THE PLAINS. 

We closed our theatrical season earlier than usual in the spring of 1876, because I was anxious to take part in the Sioux war which was thenbreaking out. Colonel Hills had written me several letters saying thatGeneral Crook was anxious to have me accompany his command, and Ipromised to do so, intending to overtake him in the Powder river country. But when I arrived at Chicago, on my way West, I learned that my oldregiment, the gallant Fifth Cavalry, was on its way back from Arizona tojoin General Crook, and that my old commander, General Carr, was incommand. He had written to military headquarters at Chicago to learn mywhereabouts, as he wished to secure me as his guide and chief of scouts. I then gave up the idea of overtaking General Crook, and hastening on toCheyenne, where the Fifth Cavalry had already arrived, I was met at thedépôt by Lieutenant King, adjutant of the regiment, he having been sentdown from Fort D. A. Russell for that purpose by General Carr, who hadlearned by a telegram from military headquarters at Chicago that I was onthe way. I accompanied the Lieutenant on horseback to the camp, and as werode up, one of the boys shouted, "Here's Buffalo Bill!" Soon after therecame three hearty cheers from the regiment. Officers and men all wereglad to see me, and I was equally delighted to meet them once more. TheGeneral at once appointed me his guide and chief of scouts. 

The next morning the command pulled out for Fort Laramie, and on reachingthat post we found General Sheridan there, accompanied by General Fryeand General Forsyth, _en route_ to Red Cloud agency. As the command wasto remain here a few days, I accompanied General Sheridan to Red Cloudand back, taking a company of cavalry as escort. 

The Indians having recently committed a great many depredations on theBlack Hills road, the Fifth Cavalry was sent out to scout the countrybetween the Indian agencies and the hills. The command operated on theSouth Fork of the Cheyenne and at the foot of the Black Hills for abouttwo weeks, having several small engagements with roving bands of Indiansduring the time. General Wesley Merritt--who had lately received hispromotion to the Colonelcy of the Fifth Cavalry--now came out and tookcontrol of the regiment. I was sorry that the command was taken fromGeneral Carr, because under him it had made its fighting reputation. However, upon becoming acquainted with General Merritt, I found him to bean excellent officer. 

The regiment, by continued scouting, soon drove the Indians out of thatsection of the country, as we supposed, and we had started on our wayback to Fort Laramie, when a scout arrived at the camp and reported themassacre of General Custer and his band of heroes on the Little Big Horn, on the 25th of June, 1876; and he also brought orders to General Merrittto proceed at once to Fort Fetterman and join General Crook in the BigHorn country. 

Colonel Stanton, who was with the Fifth Cavalry on this scout, had beensent to Red Cloud agency two days before, and that same evening a scoutarrived bringing a message from him that eight hundred Cheyenne warriorshad that day left the Red Cloud agency to join Sitting Bull's hostileforces in the Big Horn region. Notwithstanding the instructions toproceed immediately to join General Crook by the Way of Fort Fetterman, Colonel Merritt took the responsibility of endeavoring to intercept theCheyennes, and as the sequel shows he performed a very important service. 

He selected five hundred men and horses, and in two hours we were makinga forced march back to Hat, or War-Bonnet Creek--the intention being toreach the main Indian trail running to the north across that creek beforethe Cheyennes could get there. We arrived there the next night, and atdaylight the following morning, July 17th, 1876, I went out on a scout, and found that the Indians had not yet crossed the creek. On my way backto the command I discovered a large party of Indians, which proved to bethe Cheyennes, coming up from the south, and I hurried to the camp withthis important information. 

The cavalrymen quietly mounted their horses, and were ordered to remainout of sight, while General Merritt, accompanied by two or three _aides_and myself, went out on a little tour of observation to a neighboringhill, from the summit of which we saw that the Indians were approachingalmost directly towards us. Presently fifteen or twenty of them dashedoff to the west in the direction from which we had come the night before;and upon closer observation with our field glasses, we discovered twomounted soldiers, evidently carrying dispatches for us, pushing forwardon our trail. 

The Indians were evidently endeavoring to intercept these two men, andGeneral Merritt feared that they would accomplish their object. He didnot think it advisable to send out any soldiers to the assistance of thecouriers, for fear that would show to the Indians that there were troopsin the vicinity who were waiting for them. I finally suggested that thebest plan was to wait until the couriers came closer to the command, andthen, just as the Indians were about to charge, to let me take the scoutsand cut them off from the main body of the Cheyennes, who were comingover the divide. 

"All right, Cody, " said the General, "if you can do that, go ahead. "

I rushed back to the command, jumped on my horse, picked out fifteen men, and returned with them to the point of observation. I told GeneralMerritt to give us the word to start out at the proper time, andpresently he sang out:

"Go in now, Cody, and be quick about it. They are going to charge on thecouriers. "

The two messengers were not over four hundred yards from us, and theIndians were only about two hundred yards behind them. We instantlydashed over the bluffs, and advanced on a gallop towards the Indians. Arunning fight lasted several minutes, during which we drove the enemysome little distance and killed three of their number. The rest of themrode off towards the main body, which had come into plain sight, andhalted, upon seeing the skirmish that was going on. We were about halfa mile from General Merritt, and the Indians whom we were chasingsuddenly turned upon us, and another lively skirmish took place. One ofthe Indians, who was handsomely decorated with all the ornamentsusually worn by a war chief when engaged in a fight, sang out to me, inhis own tongue:

"I know you, Pa-he-haska; if you want to fight, come ahead and fight me. "

The chief was riding his horse back and forth in front of his men, as ifto banter me, and I concluded to accept the challenge. I galloped towardshim for fifty yards and he advanced towards me about the same distance, both of us riding at full speed, and then, when we were only about thirtyyards apart, I raised my rifle and fired; his horse fell to the ground, having been killed by my bullet. 

Almost at the same instant my own horse went down, he having stepped intoa hole. The fall did not hurt me much, and I instantly sprang to my feet. The Indian had also recovered himself, and we were now both on foot, andnot more than twenty paces apart. We fired at each other simultaneously. My usual luck did not desert me on this occasion, for his bullet missedme, while mine struck him in the breast. He reeled and fell, but beforehe had fairly touched the ground I was upon him, knife in hand, and haddriven the keen-edged weapon to its hilt in his heart. Jerking hiswar-bonnet off, I scientifically scalped him in about five seconds. 

The whole affair from beginning to end occupied but little time, and theIndians, seeing that I was some little distance from my company, now camecharging down upon me from a hill, in hopes of cutting me off. GeneralMerritt had witnessed the duel, and realizing the danger I was in, ordered Colonel Mason with Company K to hurry to my rescue. The ordercame none too soon, for had it been given one minute later I would havehad not less than two hundred Indians upon me. As the soldiers came up Iswung the Indian chieftain's top-knot and bonnet in the air, and shouted: "_The first scalp for Custer_. "

General Merritt, seeing that he could not now ambush the Indians, orderedthe whole regiment to charge upon them. They made a stubborn resistancefor a little while, but it was of no use for any eight hundred, or evensixteen hundred Indians to try and check a charge of the gallant oldFifth Cavalry, and they soon came to that conclusion and began a runningretreat towards Red Cloud Agency. For thirty-five miles we drove them;pushing them so hard that they were obliged to abandon their loosehorses, their camp equipage and everything else. We drove them into theagency, and followed in ourselves, notwithstanding the possibility of ourhaving to encounter the thousands of Indians at that point. We wereuncertain whether or not the other agency Indians had determined tofollow the example of the Cheyennes and strike out upon the war-path; butthat made no difference with the Fifth Cavalry, for they would havefought them all if necessary. It was dark when we rode into the agency, where we found thousands of Indians collected together; but theymanifested no disposition to fight. 

[Illustration: A DUEL WITH CHIEF YELLOW HAND. ]

While at the agency I learned the name of the Indian Chief whom I hadkilled in the morning; it was Yellow Hand; a son of old Cut-nose--aleading chief of the Cheyennes. Cut-nose, having learned that I hadkilled his son sent a white interpreter to me with a message to theeffect that he would give me four mules if I would turn over to himYellow Hand's war-bonnet, guns, pistols, ornaments, and otherparaphernalia which I had captured. I sent back word to the old gentlemanthat it would give me pleasure to accommodate him, but I could not do itthis time. 

The next morning we started to join General Crook, who was camped nearthe foot of Cloud Peak in the Big Horn mountains; awaiting the arrivalof the Fifth Cavalry, before proceeding against the Sioux, who weresomewhere near the head of the Little Big Horn, --as his scouts informedhim. We made rapid marches and reached General Crook's camp on GooseCreek about the 3d of August. 

At this camp I met many old friends, among whom was Colonel Royal, whohad received his promotion to the Lieutenant Colonelcy of the ThirdCavalry. He introduced me to General Crook, whom I had never met before, but of whom I had often heard. He also introduced me to the General'schief guide, Frank Grouard, a half breed, who had lived six years withSitting Bull, and knew the country thoroughly. 

We remained in this camp only one day, and then the whole troop pulledout for the Tongue river, leaving our wagons behind, but taking with usa large pack train. We marched down the Tongue river for two days, thence in a westerly direction over to the Rosebud, where we struck themain Indian trail, leading down this stream. From the size of the trail, which appeared to be about four days old, we estimated that there musthave been in the neighborhood of seven thousand Indians who had made thebroad trail. 

At this point we were overtaken by Jack Crawford, familiarly known as"Captain Jack, the Poet Scout of the Black Hills, " and right here I willinsert the following lines, written by him, just after the "CusterMassacre, " upon receiving from me the following dispatch:

"Jack, old boy, have you heard of the death of Custer?"

CUSTER'S DEATH. 

Did I hear the news from Custer? Well, I reckon I did, old pard;It came like a streak of lightnin', And, you bet, it hit me hard. I ain't no hand to blubber, And the briny ain't run for years;But chalk me down for a lubber, If I didn't shed regular tears. 

What for? Now look you here, Bill, You're a bully boy, that's true;As good as e'er wore buckskin, Or fought with the boys in blue;But I'll bet my bottom dollar Ye had no trouble to musterA tear, or perhaps a hundred, At the news of the death of Custer. 

He always thought well of you, pard, And had it been heaven's will, In a few more days you'd met him, And he'd welcome his old scout Bill. For if ye remember at Hat Creek, I met ye with General Carr;We talked of the brave young Custer, And recounted his deeds of war. 

But little we knew even then, pard, (And that's just two weeks ago), How little we dreamed of disaster, Or that he had met the foe--That the fearless, reckless hero, So loved by the whole frontier, Had died on the field of battle In this, our centennial year. 

I served with him in the army, In the darkest days of the war:And I reckon ye know his record, For he was our guiding star;And the boys who gathered round him To charge in the early morn, War just like the brave who perished With him on the Little Horn. 

And where is the satisfaction, And how will the boys get square?By giving the reds more rifles? Invite them to take more hair?We want no scouts, no trappers, Nor men who know the frontier;Phil, old boy, you're mistaken, _We must have the volunteer_. 

Never mind that two hundred thousand But give us a hundred instead;Send five thousand men towards Reno, And soon we won't leave a red. It will save Uncle Sam lots of money, In fortress we need not invest, Jest wollup the devils this summer, And the miners will do all the rest. 

The Black Hills are filled with miners, The Big Horn will soon be as full, And which will show the most danger To Crazy Horse and old Sitting BullA band of ten thousand frontier men, Or a couple of forts with a fewOf the boys in the East now enlisting-- Friend Cody, I leave it with you. 

They talk of peace with these demons By feeding and clothing them well:I'd as soon think an angel from Heaven Would reign with contentment in H--l

And one day the Quakers will answer Before the great Judge of us all, For the death of daring young Custer And the boys who round him did fall. 

Perhaps I am judging them harshly, But I mean what I'm telling ye, pard;I'm letting them down mighty easy, Perhaps they may think it is hard. But I tell you the day is approaching-- The boys are beginning to muster--That day of the great retribution, The day of revenge for our Custer. 

And I will be with you, friend Cody, My weight will go in with the boys;I shared all their hardships last winter, I shared all their sorrows and joys;Tell them I'm coming, friend William, I trust I will meet you ere long;Regards to the boys in the mountains; Yours, ever; in friendship still strong. 

Jack was a new man in the country, but evidently had plenty of nerve andpluck, as he had brought dispatches from Fort Fetterman, a distance of300 miles through a dangerous Indian country. The dispatches were forGeneral Crook, and notified him that General Terry was to operate with alarge command south of the Yellowstone, and that the two commands wouldprobably consolidate somewhere on the Rosebud. 

Jack at once hunted me up and gave me a letter from General Sheridan, informing me that he had appointed him (Jack) as one of the scouts. 

While we were conversing, Jack informed me that he had brought me apresent from Colonel Jones of Cheyenne, and that he had it in hissaddle-pockets. Asking the nature of the gift, he replied that it wasonly a bottle of good whiskey. 

I placed my hand over his mouth and told him to keep still, and not towhisper it even to the winds, for there were too many dry men around us;and only when alone with him did I dare to have him take the treasurefrom his saddle-pockets. 

In this connection I may remark that Jack Crawford is the only man Ihave ever known that could have brought that bottle of whiskey throughwithout _accident_ befalling it, for he is one of the very few teetotalscouts I ever met. 

Not wishing to have a game of "whiskey _solitaire_, " I invited GeneralCarr to sample the bottle with me. We soon found a secluded spot, anddismounting, we thought we were going to have a nice little drink all byourselves, when who should ride up but Mr. Lathrop, the Reporter of theAssociated Press of the Pacific slope--to whom we had given the name ofthe "Death Rattler, "--and who was also known in San Francisco as "the manwith the iron jaw, " he having, with the true nose of a Reporter, smeltthe whiskey from afar off, and had come to "interview" it. He was a goodfellow withal, and we were glad to have him join us. 

Now to resume: For two or three days we pushed on, but we did not seem togain much on the Indians, as they were evidently making about the samemarches that we were. On the fourth or fifth morning of our pursuit, Irode ahead of the command about ten miles, and mounting a hill I scannedthe country far and wide with my field glass, and discovered an immensecolumn of dust rising about ten miles further down the creek, and soon Inoticed a body of men marching towards me, that at first I believed to bethe Indians of whom we were in pursuit; but subsequently they proved tobe General Terry's command. I sent back word to that effect to GeneralCrook, by a scout who had accompanied me, but after he had departed Iobserved a band of Indians on the opposite side of the creek, and alsoanother party directly in front of me. This led me to believe that I hadmade a mistake. 

But shortly afterwards my attention was attracted by the appearance of abody of soldiers, who were forming into a skirmish line, and then Ibecame convinced that it was General Terry's command after all, and thatthe red-skins whom I had seen were some of his friendly Indian scouts, who had mistaken me for a Sioux, and fled back to their command terriblyexcited, shouting, "The Sioux are coming!"

General Terry at once came to the post, and ordered the SeventhCavalry to form line of battle across the Rosebud; he also ordered uphis artillery and had them prepare for action, doubtless dreadinganother "Custer massacre. " I afterwards learned the Indians had seenthe dust raised by General Crook's forces, and had reported that theSioux were coming. 

These manoeuvres I witnessed from my position with considerableamusement, thinking the command must be badly demoralized, when one mancould cause a whole army to form line of battle and prepare for action. Having enjoyed the situation to my heart's content, I galloped downtowards the skirmish line, waving my hat and when within about onehundred yards of the troops, Colonel Weir, of the Seventh Cavalry, galloped out and met me. He recognized me at once, and accompanied meinside the line; then he sang out, "Boys, here's Buffalo Bill. Some ofyou old soldiers know him; give him a cheer!" Thereupon the regiment gavethree rousing cheers, and it was followed up all along the line. 

Colonel Weir presented me to General Terry, and in answer to hisquestions I informed him that the alarm of Indians which had been givenwas a false one, as the dust seen by his scouts was caused by GeneralCrook's troops. General Terry thereupon rode forward to meet GeneralCrook, and I accompanied him at his request. That night both commandswent into camp on the Rosebud. General Terry had his wagon train withhim, and everything to make life comfortable on an Indian campaign. Hehad large wall tents and portable beds to sleep in, and large hospitaltents for dining-rooms. His camp looked very comfortable and attractive, and presented a great contrast to that of General Crook, who had for hisheadquarters only one small fly tent; and whose cooking utensilsconsisted of a quart cup--in which he made his coffee himself--and astick, upon which he broiled his bacon. When I compared the two camps, Icame to the conclusion that General Crook was an Indian fighter; for itwas evident that he had learned that, to follow and fight Indians, a bodyof men must travel lightly and not be detained by a wagon train or heavyluggage of any kind. 

That evening General Terry ordered General Miles to take his regiment, the Fifth Infantry, and return by a forced march to the Yellowstone, and proceed down that river by steamboat to the mouth of Powder river, to intercept the Indians, in case they attempted to cross theYellowstone. General Mills made a forced march that night ofthirty-five miles, which was splendid traveling for an infantryregiment through a mountainous country. 

Generals Crook and Terry spent that evening and the next day in council, and on the following morning both commands moved out on the Indian trail. Although General Terry was the senior officer, he did not assume commandof both expeditions, but left General Crook in command of his own troops, although they operated together. We crossed the Tongue river to Powderriver, and proceeded down the latter stream to a point twenty miles fromits junction with the Yellowstone, where the Indian trail turned to thesoutheast in the direction of the Black Hills. The two commands nowbeing nearly out of supplies, the trail was abandoned, and the troopskept on down Powder river to its confluence with the Yellowstone, andremained there several days. Here we met General Mills, who reported thatno Indians had as yet crossed the Yellowstone. Several steamboats soonarrived with a large quantity of supplies, and once more the "Boys inBlue" were made happy. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

DANGEROUS WORK. 

One evening while we were in camp on the Yellowstone at the mouth ofPowder river, I was informed that the commanding officers had selectedLouis Richard, a half breed, and myself to accompany General Mills on ascouting expedition on the steamer Far West, down the Yellowstone as faras Glendive Creek. We were to ride on the pilot house and keep a sharplookout on both sides of the river for Indian trails that might havecrossed the stream. The idea of scouting on a steamboat was indeed anovel one to me, and I anticipated a pleasant trip. 

At daylight next morning we reported on board the steamer to GeneralMills, who had with him four or five companies of his regiment. We weresomewhat surprised when he asked us where our horses were, as we had notsupposed that horses would be needed if the scouting was to be done onthe steamer. He said we might need them before we got back, and thereuponwe had the animals brought on board. In a few minutes we were boomingdown the river, at the rate of about twenty miles an hour. 

The steamer Far West was commanded by Captain Grant Marsh, whom I foundto be a "brick. " I had often heard of him, for he was and is yet one ofthe best known river captains in the country. He it was who, with hissteamer the Far West, transported the wounded men from the battle of theLittle Big Horn to Fort Abraham Lincoln on the Missouri river, and onthat trip he made the fastest steamboat time on record. He was a skillfuland experienced pilot, handling his boat with remarkable dexterity. 

While Richard and myself were at our stations on the pilot house, thesteamer with a full head of steam went flying past islands, around bends, over sand bars, at a rate that was exhilarating. Presently I thought Icould see horses grazing in a distant bend of the river and I reportedthe fact to General Mills, who asked Captain Marsh if he could land theboat near a large tree which he pointed out to him. 

[Illustration: SCOUTING ON A STEAMBOAT. ]

"Yes, sir; I can land her there, and make her climb the tree ifnecessary, " said he. 

On reaching the spot designated, General Mills ordered two companiesashore, while Richard and myself were ordered to take our horses offthe boat and push out as rapidly as possible to see if there wereIndians in the vicinity. While we were getting ashore, Captain Marshremarked that if there was only a good heavy dew on the grass he wouldshoot the steamer ashore and take us on the scout without the troubleof leaving the boat. 

It was a false alarm, however, as the objects we had seen proved to beIndian graves. Quite a large number of braves who had probably beenkilled in some battle, had been buried on scaffolds, according to theIndian custom, and some of their clothing had been torn loose from thebodies by the wolves and was waving in the air. 

On arriving at Glendive Creek we found that Colonel Rice and his companyof the Fifth Infantry, who had been sent there by General Mills, hadbuilt quite a good little fort with their trowel-bayonets--a weaponwhich Colonel Rice was the inventor of, and which is, by the way, a veryuseful implement of war, as it can be used for a shovel in throwing upintrenchments and can be profitably utilized in several other ways. Onthe day previous to our arrival, Colonel Rice had a fight with a party ofIndians, and had killed two or three of them at long range with hisRodman cannon. 

The Far West was to remain at Glendive over night, and General Millswished to send dispatches back to General Terry at once. At his request Itook the dispatches and rode seventy-five miles that night through thebad lands of the Yellowstone, and reached General Terry's camp nextmorning, after having nearly broken my neck a dozen times or more. 

There being but little prospect of any more fighting, I determined to goEast as soon as possible to organize a new "Dramatic Combination, " andhave a new drama written for me, based upon the Sioux war. This I knewwould be a paying investment as the Sioux campaign had excitedconsiderable interest. So I started down the river on the steamerYellowstone _en route_ to Fort Beauford. On the same morning GeneralsTerry and Crook pulled out for Powder river, to take up the old Indiantrail which we had recently left. 

The steamer had proceeded down the stream about twenty miles when it wasmet by another boat on its way up the river, having on board GeneralWhistler and some fresh troops for General Terry's command. Both boatslanded, and almost the first person I met was my old friend and partner, Texas Jack, who had been sent out as a dispatch carrier for the _NewYork Herald_. 

General Whistler, upon learning that General Terry had left theYellowstone, asked me to carry to him some important dispatches fromGeneral Sheridan, and although I objected, he insisted upon my performingthis duty, saying that it would only detain me a few hours longer; as anextra inducement he offered me the use of his own thorough-bred horse, which was on the boat. I finally consented to go, and was soon speedingover the rough and hilly country towards Powder river; and I deliveredthe dispatches to General Terry that same evening. General Whistler'shorse, although a good animal, was not used to such hard riding, and wasfar more exhausted by the journey than I was. 

After I had taken a lunch, General Terry asked me if I would carry somedispatches back to General Whistler, and I replied that I would. CaptainSmith, General Terry's aid-de-camp, offered me his horse for the trip, and it proved to be an excellent animal; for I rode him that same nightforty miles over the bad lands in four hours, and reached GeneralWhistler's steamboat at one o'clock. During my absence the Indians hadmade their appearance on the different hills in the vicinity, and thetroops from the boat had had several skirmishes with them. When GeneralWhistler had finished reading the dispatches, he said:

"Cody, I want to send information to General Terry concerning the Indianswho have been skirmishing around here all day. I have been trying all theevening long to induce some one to carry my dispatches to him, but no oneseems willing to undertake the trip, and I have got to fall back on you. It is asking a great deal, I know, as you have just ridden eighty miles;but it is a case of necessity, and if you'll go, Cody, I'll see that youare well paid for it. "

"Never mind about the pay, " said I, "but get your dispatches ready, andI'll start at once. "

In a few minutes he handed me the package, and mounting the same horsewhich I had ridden from General Terry's camp, I struck out for mydestination. It was two o'clock in the morning when I left the boat, andat eight o'clock I rode into General Terry's camp, just as he was aboutto march--having made one hundred and twenty miles in twenty-two hours. 

General Terry, after reading the dispatches, halted his command, and thenrode on and overtook General Crook, with whom he held a council; theresult was that Crook's command moved on in the direction which they hadbeen pursuing, while Terry's forces marched back to the Yellowstone andcrossed the river on steamboats. At the urgent request of General Terry Iaccompanied the command on a scout in the direction of the Dry Fork ofthe Missouri, where it was expected we would strike some Indians. 

The first march out from the Yellowstone was made in the night, as wewished to get into the hills without being discovered by the Siouxscouts. After marching three days, a little to the east of north, wereached the buffalo range, and discovered fresh signs of Indians, who hadevidently been killing buffaloes. General Terry now called on me to carrydispatches to Colonel Rice, who was still camped at the mouth of GlendiveCreek, on the Yellowstone--distant about eighty miles from us. 

Night had set in with a storm, and a drizzling rain was falling when, atten o'clock, I started on this ride through a section of country withwhich I was entirely unacquainted. I traveled through the darkness adistance of about thirty-five miles, and at daylight I rode into asecluded spot at the head of a ravine where stood a bunch of ash trees, and there I concluded to remain till night; for I considered it adangerous undertaking to cross the wide prairies in broaddaylight--especially as my horse was a poor one. 

[Illustration: CLOSE QUARTERS]

I accordingly unsaddled my animal, and ate a hearty breakfast of baconand hard tack which I had stored in the saddle-pockets; then, aftertaking a smoke, I lay down to sleep, with my saddle for a pillow. In afew minutes I was in the land of dreams. 

After sleeping some time--I can't tell how long--I was suddenly awakenedby a roaring, rumbling sound. I instantly seized my gun, sprang to myhorse, and hurriedly secreted him in the brush. Then I climbed up thesteep side of the bank and cautiously looked over the summit; in thedistance I saw a large herd of buffaloes which were being chased andfired at by twenty or thirty Indians. Occasionally a buffalo would dropout of the herd, but the Indians kept on until they had killed ten orfifteen. They then turned back, and began to cut up their game. 

I saddled my horse and tied him to a small tree where I could reach himconveniently in case the Indians should discover me by finding my trailand following it. I then crawled carefully back to the summit of thebluff, and in a concealed position watched the Indians for two hours, during which time they were occupied in cutting up the buffaloes andpacking the meat on their ponies. When they had finished this work theyrode off in the direction whence they had come and on the line which Ihad proposed to travel. It appeared evident to me that their camp waslocated somewhere between me and Glendive Creek, but I had no idea ofabandoning the trip on that account. 

I waited till nightfall before resuming my journey, and then I bore offto the east for several miles, and by making a semi-circle to avoid theIndians, I got back on my original course, and then pushed on rapidly toColonel Rice's camp, which I reached just at daylight. 

Colonel Rice had been fighting Indians almost every day since he had beenencamped at this point, and he was very anxious to notify General Terryof the fact. Of course I was requested to carry his dispatches. Afterremaining at Glendive a single day I started back to find General Terry, and on the third day out I overhauled him at the head of Deer Creek whileon his way to Colonel Rice's camp. He was not, however, going in theright direction, but bearing too far to the east, and I so informed him. He then asked me to guide the command and I did so. 

On arriving at Glendive I bade good-bye to the General and his officersand took passage on the steamer Far West, which was on her way down theMissouri. At Bismarck I left the steamer, and proceeded by rail toRochester, New York, where I met my family. 

Mr. J. Clinton Hall, manager of the Rochester Opera House, was veryanxious to have me play an engagement at his theatre. I agreed to openthe season with him as soon as I had got my drama written; and I did so, meeting with an enthusiastic reception. 

My new drama was arranged for the stage by J. V. Arlington, the actor. Itwas a five-act play, without head or tail, and it made no difference atwhich act we commenced the performance. Before we had finished the seasonseveral newspaper critics, I have been told, went crazy in trying tofollow the plot. It afforded us, however, ample opportunity to give anoisy, rattling, gunpowder entertainment, and to present a succession ofscenes in the late Indian war, all of which seemed to give generalsatisfaction. 

From Rochester I went to New York and played a very successfulengagement at the Grand Opera House under the management of Messrs. Poole and Donnelly. Thence my route took me to all the principal citiesin the Eastern, Western and Middle States, and I everywhere met withcrowded houses. I then went to the Pacific Coast, against the advice offriends who gave it as their opinion that my style of plays would nottake very well in California. I opened for an engagement of two weeks atthe Bush Street Theatre, in San Francisco, at a season when thetheatrical business was dull, and Ben DeBar and the Lingards wereplaying there to empty seats. I expected to play to a slim audience onthe opening night, but instead of that I had a fourteen hundred dollarhouse. Such was my success that I continued my engagement for fiveweeks, and the theatre was crowded at every performance. Upon leavingSan Francisco I made a circuit of the interior towns and closed theseason at Virginia City, Nevada. 

On my way East, I met my family at Denver, where they were visiting mysisters Nellie and May who were then residing there. 

Some time previously I had made arrangements to go into the cattlebusiness in company with my old friend, Major Frank North, and while Iwas in California he had built our ranches on the South Fork of theDismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte, in Nebraska. Proceeding to Ogalalla, the headquarters of the Texas cattle drovers, Ifound Major North there awaiting me, and together we bought, branded anddrove to our ranches, our first installment of cattle. This occupied usduring the remainder of the summer. 

Leaving the cattle in charge of Major North, I visited Red Cloud Agencyearly in the fall, and secured some Sioux Indians to accompany me on mytheatrical tour of 1877-78. Taking my family and the Indians with me, Iwent directly to Rochester. There I left my oldest daughter, Arta, at ayoung ladies' seminary, while my wife and youngest child traveled with meduring the season. 

I opened at the Bowery Theatre, New York, September 3d, 1877, with a newBorder Drama entitled, "May Cody, or Lost and Won, " from the pen of MajorA. S. Burt, of the United States army. It was founded on the incidents ofthe "Mountain Meadow Massacre, " and life among the Mormons. It was thebest drama I had yet produced, and proved a grand success bothfinancially and artistically. The season of 1877-78 proved to be the mostprofitable one I had ever had. 

In February, 1878, my wife became tired of traveling, and proceeded toNorth Platte, Nebraska, where, on our farm adjoining the town, shepersonally superintended the erection of a comfortable familyresidence, and had it all completed when I reached there, early in May. In this house we are now living, and we hope to make it our home formany years to come. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

CONCLUSION. 

After my arrival at North Platte, I found that the ranchmen orcattle-men, had organized a regular annual "round-up, " to take place inthe spring of the year. 

The word "round-up" is derived from the fact that during the wintermonths the cattle become scattered over a vast tract of land, and theranchmen assemble together in the spring to sort out and each secure hisown stock. They form a large circle, often of a circumference of twohundred miles, and drive the cattle towards a common centre, where, allthe stock being branded, each owner can readily separate his own from thegeneral herd, and then he drives them to his own ranch. 

In this cattle driving business is exhibited some most magnificenthorsemanship, for the "cow-boys, " as they are called, are invariablyskillful and fearless horsemen--in fact only a most expert rider could bea cow-boy, as it requires the greatest dexterity and daring in the saddleto cut a wild steer out of the herd. 

Major North was awaiting me, upon my arrival at North Platte, having withhim our own horses and men. Other cattle owners, such as Keith andBarton, Coe and Carter, Jack Pratt, the Walker Brothers, Guy and SimLang, Arnold and Ritchie and a great many others with their outfits, wereassembled and were ready to start on the round-up. 

My old friend Dave Perry, who had presented Buckskin Joe to me, and whoresided at North Platte, was most anxious to go with us for pleasure, andFrank North told him he could, and have plenty of fun, provided he wouldfurnish his own horses, provisions and bedding, and do the usual workrequired of a cow-boy. This, Dave was willing to undertake. We found himto be a good fellow in camp, and excellent company. 

As there is nothing but hard work on these round-ups, having to be in thesaddle all day, and standing guard over the cattle at night, rain orshine, I could not possibly find out where the fun came in, that Northhad promised me. But it was an exciting life, and the days sped rapidlyby; in six weeks we found ourselves at our own ranch on Dismal river, theround-up having proved a great success, as we had found all our cattleand driven them home. 

This work being over, I proposed to spend a few weeks with my family atNorth Platte, for the purpose of making their better acquaintance, for mylong and continued absence from home made me a comparative stranger undermy own roof-tree. One great source of pleasure to me was that my wife wasdelighted with the home I had given her amid the prairies of the farwest. Soon after my arrival, my sisters Nellie and May, came to make us avisit, and a delightful time we all had during their stay. When they leftus, I accompanied them to their home in Denver, Colorado, where I passedseveral days visiting old friends and scenes. 

Returning to Ogallala I purchased from Bill Phant, an extensive cattledrover from Texas, a herd of cattle, which I drove to my ranch on theDismal river, after which I bade my partner and the boys good-bye, andstarted for the Indian Territory to procure Indians for my DramaticCombination for the season of 1878-79. 

_En route_ to the Territory, I paid a long promised visit to my sisters, Julia--Mrs. J. A. Goodman--and Eliza--Mrs. George M. Myers--who reside inKansas, the state which the reader will remember was my boyhood home. 

Having secured my Indian actors, and along with them Mr. O. A. Burgess, agovernment interpreter, and Ed. A. Burgess, known as the "Boy Chief ofthe Pawnees, " I started for Baltimore, where I organized my combination, and which was the largest troupe I had yet had on the road; opening inthat city at the Opera House, under the management of Hon. John T. Ford, and then started on a southern tour, playing in Washington, Richmond andas far south as Savannah, Georgia, where we were brought to a suddenhalt, owing to the yellow fever which was then cruelly raging in thebeautiful cities of the "Land of the cotton and the cane. "

[Illustration: ONE OF THE TROUPE. ]

While playing in Washington, I suddenly learned from areporter--Washington newspaper men know everything--that my Indians wereto be seized by the Government and sent back to their agency. Findingthat there was foundation for the rumor, I at once sought General CarlShurz, Secretary of the Interior, and asked him if he intended deprivingme of my Indian actors. He said that he did, as the Indians were awayfrom their reservation without leave. I answered that I had had Indianswith me the year before and nothing had been said about it; butCommissioner Haight replied that the Indians were the "wards of thegovernment, " and were not allowed off of their reservation. 

I told the Commissioner that the Indians were frequently off of theirreservations out west, as I had a distinct remembrance of meeting themupon several occasions "on the war path, " and furthermore I thought I wasbenefitting the Indians as well as the government, by taking them allover the United States, and giving them a correct idea of the customs, life, etc. , of the pale faces, so that when they returned to their peoplethey could make known all they had seen. 

After a conversation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Commissionerconcluded to allow me to retain the Indians, by appointing me IndianAgent, provided I would give the necessary bonds, and pledge myself toreturn them in safety to their agency--which terms I agreed to. 

From Savannah, Georgia, having changed my route on account of the yellowfever, I jumped my entire company to Philadelphia, and at once continuedon a north-eastern tour, having arranged with the well-known author anddramatist, Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, to write a play for me. 

The drama entitled "The Knight of the Plains, or Buffalo Bill's BestTrail, " was first produced at New Haven, Conn. ; it has proved a greatsuccess, and I expect to play it in England, where I purpose to go nextseason on a theatrical tour, having been urged to do so by my manyfriends abroad. 

After a successful tour of six weeks on the Pacific Slope, thus endingthe season of 1878-79, I am at my home at North Platte, Nebraska, for thesummer; and thus ends the account of my career as far as it has gone. 

THE END.