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diff --git a/42619-0.txt b/42619-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..626974f --- /dev/null +++ b/42619-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8851 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42619 *** + +BUCKSKIN MOSE; + +OR, + +LIFE FROM THE LAKES TO THE PACIFIC, + +AS ACTOR, CIRCUS-RIDER, DETECTIVE, RANGER, +GOLD-DIGGER, INDIAN SCOUT, AND GUIDE. + +WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. + +"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, +Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."--HAMLET. + +_EDITED, AND WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_, +BY C. G. ROSENBERG. + +[Illustration: Logo] + +NEW YORK: + +HENRY L. HINTON, PUBLISHER, 744 BROADWAY. +1873. + + +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by +CURTIS B. HAWLEY, +In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. + + +Stereotyped at the +WOMEN'S PRINTING HOUSE, +56, 58 and 60 Park Street, +New York. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +As a young author, although scarcely what the world would consider a +young man, I should scarcely feel inclined to say a word in presenting +this volume to it, were it not that I wish the public to comprehend one +of the two reasons which have induced me to write it. As it would be +idle, even for a man of decided literary genius, to deny that pecuniary +profit is, in most instances, the incentive to the exercise of his +power, so, in a humbler fashion (for I consider myself a man of no +genius), I will scarcely affirm that I do not look with a degree of +longing on the possible success of my first effort. + +Let me, however, frankly say that I have another and a stronger reason +for writing this work. + +While hoping that I have not thrust this into undue prominence, as I +have, in every case, made it secondary to the facts which are detailed, +it is my wish to demonstrate to the public of the United States, that +the manner in which the Government protects the settler is neither good +for him nor for the Indian. It must equally fail in satisfying its +children and its vassals. At times, it leaves the first totally +unprotected. When they grow accustomed to the habit of self-protection, +it not infrequently represses the sturdy independence thus begotten, +instead of guiding it by the ability, wisdom, and honesty of its +appointed officials. In like manner, it has no settled course of policy +with the latter. At one time it bribes, and at another, it lashes them +into subjection. + +Perhaps, the settler is not entirely elevated in character, nor the +Indian thoroughly debased. But this wavering and uncertain line of +policy cannot do otherwise than lower the nature of the first, while it +certainly cannot raise that of the last. + +That one considers his Government as weak and capricious, while this one +believes it to be both tyrannical and asinine. + +In addition to this, those who are selected to command the troops +employed in the neighborhood of the Reservations, or to act as Indian +Agents, are, in nine cases out of ten, utterly ignorant of the nature +of the savage with whom they have to deal, the character of the country +in which they have to move; and, in the latter position, not +infrequently deficient in one of the cardinal virtues--that of honesty. +In this last case, they will not only disgust the settler, but enrage +the savage, who, on the score of his own dishonesty and treachery, is +far less disposed to smile at these vices in others, when he himself +suffers from their exercise. The false philanthropy, also, is deeply +injurious, which believes in the possibility of guiding uneducated +nature without a due degree of compulsory restriction. + +If in mentioning these few points in relation to the dealings of our +Government with the white settler and the red-skin, I awaken the +attention of the public to the real obstacles for the preservation of a +steady and creditable peace on the Indian territory and in the +Reservations, without the complete extermination of the original +inhabitants of my country, I shall be satisfied. Nor do I feel that I +have said nearly as much, nor said it one-tenth as strongly, as the +necessity for plain speaking might have justified me in doing. + +Before concluding, I would, however, call attention to one portion of my +volume which, without corroborative proof, might cause considerable +doubt as to my veracity. This is my positive mention of the existence of +Masonry, of my own knowledge, among the Cheyennes, and by hearsay from +them, among other Western tribes. + +If I am right, it was in 1854, that Judge Harrison, of Red Bluffs, in +California, with his wife and children, was captured by the Cheyennes. +Like myself, he was a Mason, and was indebted to that circumstance for +the liberation of himself and his family. This he told me in Susanville, +where he afterwards died. When he mentioned this circumstance to me, he +showed me a war-club presented to him, which was almost identical in its +decorative carving with my own, and which is now, or lately was, in the +possession of his widow. Nor have I any reason to doubt that there may +be others now living, who have also been indebted, for a similar +immunity, to the fact of their belonging to the Masonic order. + +While touching upon this, I might also mention that Peter Lassen, killed +by the Indians, at Black Rock, in 1859, was the first Mason who carried +a Charter to, and founded the first Masonic Lodge, on the Pacific coast. +Peace be with the old man's ashes. + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + PAGE +HOW I SOLD POP-CORN 16 + +MY CAPTURE OF JACKSON 31 + +SPOTTING A COUNTERFEITER 34 + +A SECOND OFFER OF MARRIAGE 63 + +MY FIRST APPEARANCE IN SUSANVILLE 92 + +A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE 125 + +THE MONUMENT ERECTED TO PETER LASSEN IN HONEY +LAKE VALLEY 102 + +BEING REQUESTED TO CHANGE TREES 119 + +BOUND TO THE STAKE 140 + +AN UNEXPECTED ALLY 155 + +CLO-KE-TA'S WARNING 222 + +TAKING PAYMENT 249 + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE CIRCUS--AN ACCIDENT AND A CHANGE OF + CALLING--FAMILY AFFECTION--POP-CORN--A LITTLE CHEEK, AND A GREAT + DEAL OF DISMAY--SUCCESS AS A DEALER IN GRAIN--BEING AN + ACTOR--CAUGHT AGAIN--BLOOD AND ITS CONSEQUENCES--BAILED OUT, AND IN + AGAIN--THE GOOD-NATURED IRISHMAN--CHANGE OF VENUE--ANOTHER + PROFESSION. + + +Actor, trapper, scout, gold-digger, and guide, my life, very unlike that +of most of my readers, has been one of plenty of change and adventure, +but certainly not of money-making. They say "A rolling stone gathers no +moss." I have had good reason to feel this proverbial truth, having been +a wanderer on the face, if not of this earth, at all events, of this +continent. + +My earliest recollection, which is worth my own remembrance, is a +decidedly unpleasant one. When no more than eight years of age I was +connected with the Circus of Dan Rice. Necessarily, I was a very +unimportant member of it; and not feeling that it was in every respect +what I thought a circus-life ought to be, I took it into my head to run +away from it. Before I had covered sufficient ground to get out of the +agent's reach, he caught me, and I had the gratification of being very +well and soundly flogged. The smart of this judicial visitation upon my +skin still recurs to me at times, and renders the locality in Kentucky, +where the flogging took place, a very sore spot in my memory. I +consequently will not name it. + +In spite of this escapade, I gradually became a proficient in bare-back +riding, vaulting, on the slack-rope and in the trapeze-performance, +excelling all the boys attached to the circus, and in consequence became +the pet of Old Dan, with whom I remained for three years. My youthful +ambition to shine in this career was, however, brought to an untimely +close. An uncle of mine discovered me on the Mississippi, and +immediately wrote to my father, who, at the time I left home, had been +the landlord of the United States Hotel in Galena. Making a somewhat +wrathful pilgrimage in search of his missing offspring, he caught up +with me at some small place in Kentucky, reclaimed me from the vocation +of my choice, and after taking me home and chastising me in a truly +parental fashion, bound me out as an apprentice to the village +blacksmith. It would be needless to say, that the forge was by no means +as pleasant an occupation, to my youthful mind, as the daring life on +the sawdust of the arena. + +Some six months after, I forgot the parental scourge, and wrote a letter +to the manager of Older and Orton's Circus, which was then performing at +Portage City, Wisconsin. + +What sort of a letter it was, I can now scarcely tell. But my education +had not been remarkable in its extent, and it may be presumed the +orthography as well as the calligraphy, possibly, astonished him who +received it. If so, he never mentioned the fact to me, but returned me a +favorable answer. Consequently, I once more made tracks, and joined them +for the season. + +Here I was so successful, and became such a general favorite, that I +received the offer of a star-engagement from Levi North, with whom I +remained until an injury received on the occasion of my benefit, in the +execution of an unusually daring feat of horsemanship, brought our +connection to an end. The company were obliged to leave me behind them +in Chicago. + +My recovery was slow and tedious. Although my professional brethren +displayed great kindness to me, in every way, the means I had made, even +with their assistance, were insufficient for my needs. Once or twice, I +thought of writing to my relatives in Galena. + +The supposable wrath of my paternal proprietor, however, deterred me +from doing so. The shiver of filial fear at his retributive justice +induced me to make an effort to support myself in a new field. This was +in a grocery store at the corner of Randolph and Deerborne streets, kept +by a man named Martin. It was a widely different sphere of exertion from +that in which my previous employment had been cast, as well as one even +more different from that in which I was afterwards to make my mark. +Often, since, I have laughed over this period of my life. In the Forge +and the Circus, I had learnt much which might fit me for my future. But, +it is somewhat curious for Buckskin Mose ever to have figured in +peddling or carrying out tea and sugar, potted fruits and whiskey, with +other such necessaries and luxuries, from a corner-grocery. + +But I was not destined to continue at this work for any length of time. +One day, a fire occurred on the premises, and in endeavoring to rescue a +keg of brandy from the flames, I slipped upon the ice in front of the +store--it was then midwinter--and broke my arm. + +This untoward accident threw me again out of employment, and I remember +my angry feelings while the doctor was placing my maimed limb in +splints, and I was thinking what I could do for a living. Some few days +after, when, worn out by the suffering and compulsory inaction +consequent upon this accident, I was wandering through the streets, I +stumbled upon another uncle of mine. + +He was one of the millionnaires of Chicago. As many men have grown rich +by the sudden growth of the cities in which they live, rather than by +their own efforts, he had gained his dollars. But in doing so, he had +forgotten his love for those who bore his name. At any rate, he had done +so for me, as far as extending me any helping hand in my immediate +necessity. + +"You must work, my boy! Only see what I have done. No friends assisted +me. I began at the lowest rung of the ladder, and now I am pretty well +off in the world. God bless you!" + +Then he tapped me on the shoulder in a benevolent manner, and walked on, +never thinking of assisting the beneficence he had asked to bless me. + +But I had to live. With my broken arm, what was there left for me to +attempt? Davy Crockett mentions the shell-corn business at one period of +his eventful life, as having suggested itself to him. Why should not I +become a pop-corn merchant in a humble approach to the calling the hero +of Kentucky had once followed. But, to my intense disgust, on diligent +inquiry, I could find no pop-corn in the whole of Chicago, whether for +love or money, save in one store. The amount demanded for this was +thirty dollars. Of the last article mentioned above--money--I had none. +Of the first, I had plenty. But this was not a circulating medium. As, +with my unlamed hand, I was scraping my forehead in the hope of exhuming +an idea, I looked up and found myself in front of a grocery store. Its +owner was standing behind the counter. His face wore a benevolent and +kindly expression. At no time in my life, from that in which I ran away +from Dan Rice's Circus, have I been long in forming a determination. So +I walked in, and asked him for the loan of the money, with which I +intended to monopolize the pop-corn trade. + +"Thirty dollars!" he exclaimed. + +He was profoundly astonished, and on reflection, I am compelled to say, +well he might be. + +"That's the exact sum I want," was my answer. + +"But, young fellow! you're an entire stranger to me." + +"So you are to me," I undauntedly replied. "I don't know you from Adam +or any other fellow. But I like your face, and so, if you want a lift, I +don't mind taking you with me into the pop-corn business." + +He smiled. His smile was indeed a full-fed and jolly laugh. + +"Well!" he said, "upon my word, I rather like your frank cheek. We'll go +and see about it." + +The result of the inquiries of Mr. Dobbs, the grocer in question, was +that he not only advanced me the money to purchase the whole stock, but +allowed me to store the corn in his own establishment. At the time it +did not strike me as being so, but was doubtless the result of a +sagacious forethought, as, should I fail in keeping my daily accounts +square, he could easily foreclose on my stock-in-trade. Be this as it +may, Mr. Dobbs did more for me. All well-regulated communities indulge +in the licensing business--to a greater or less extent. So did, and +probably does, Chicago. The unlicensed sale of pop-corn would have been +a risky affair. When he told me this, my face fell. How was I to get a +license. + +Mr. Dobbs was equal to the emergency on this occasion, also. + +"Come along with me to the Mayor." + +It was the first occasion on which I had ever stood in the actual +presence of such a high civic dignitary. The introduction was an era in +my life. It would have been in that of any boy. The reader may therefore +imagine that my equanimity, which my new friend had thought proper to +denominate "cheek," felt somewhat abashed, as the magistrate looked up +from his desk, and gazing, as I fancied, sternly at me, said: + +"What is the matter now, Mr. Dobbs?" + +"Mr. Mayor," responded Mr. Dobbs, "I wish to introduce to you a young +friend of mine, who wishes to take out a license to sell pop-corn." + +"It will be a hundred and fifty dollars." + +I looked from the Mayor to my new friend. One hundred and fifty dollars! +Where was the money to come from? I never before felt so near +whimpering. Very certainly, I have never since. My boyhood must be +remembered, as an apology for this tendency on my part. I was unable, in +the extremity of my trouble, to utter a word of entreaty. + +"He has no money, Mr. Mayor!" answered Mr. Dobbs. "So you must deal as +kindly as possible with him." + +The magistrate laughed, not at what my friend had said, but at my +painful look of dismay. Mr. Dobbs also chuckled slightly. Then the Mayor +observed: + +"I will see what can be done for the lad. He seems a bright young +fellow." + +After saying this, he named the most liberal terms for the license, and +when it was made out by his clerk and Mr. Dobbs had paid for it, with a +very low bow, I turned to leave the office. At this moment a gentleman +entered, whom the Mayor introduced to my benefactor. After doing so, he +was beginning to mention what I had come to him for, when the new-comer +turned to me, saying: + +"Why, I know this young lad. He is my nephew." + +The Mayor gazed at me and Mr. Dobbs, with some considerable surprise, as +he ejaculated: + +"Indeed!" + +I felt that my face had crimsoned up to the very roots of my hair, but +my reply was prompt and very bitter: + +"You are entirely wrong, sir!" + +It was impossible for me to avoid recalling the fact that he had not +made me the slightest offer of assistance, while my generous benefactor +had not only loaned me money, but given me some three hours of his +time--the last, possibly, being the greatest amount of kindness. + +"How?" said my uncle, knitting his brows. "Are not you the son of Mr. +----, of Galena?" + +"Yes." + +"And you were born there?" + +"Of course, I was." + +"Your father had a brother in this city?" + +"I know he had." + +"Then, I am that brother and your uncle. You know it, for you spoke to +me only yesterday." + +"Did I?" was my angry exclamation. + +Making another bow to the Mayor, I turned and walked out, leaving my +disgusted uncle to stare, and, if he was given to profanity, to swear +after me. + +The pop-corn business, so strangely commenced, grew and prospered. From +my one small basket, it gradually extended itself. At last a +regiment--or rather one small company of boys--with cans containing it, +with the name of "Mose" painted on them, strapped upon their shoulders, +sold pop-corn in the streets, the cars, the theatres, and the hotels. +Why or how I came to take the name of "Mose," it is perhaps difficult to +say. But I had commenced life in the Circus, when the "Mose" of Chanfrau +was an universally quoted name throughout the country. It had been my +name on the bills with Dan Rice, Older and Orton, and Levi North. +Remaining in my memory, it probably stuck to me when I embarked in my +new calling. + +[Illustration: "The pop-corn business, so strangely commenced, grew and +prospered."--_Page 16._] + +Comparative wealth seemed to be pouring in on me. In a measure, I was +becoming not only a lad of means, but somewhat locally celebrated under +the name of my adoption. + +To account for my rapidly gaining money, it must be remembered that one +bushel of shelled, makes eleven of popped corn. My profits were +consequently in proportion, even if the whole trade of Chicago, in this +thriftily manufactured commodity, had not been in my hands. + +With the termination of my winter's sale of pop-corn which closed, I may +state, with gratification, with as much gain for the good Mr. Dobbs as +for myself, I had again to think of employment. Luckily, the results of +my two accidents were now entirely healed, and although I could scarcely +have risked appearing yet in the circus, I saw no reason to preclude me +from going behind the footlights. After some difficulty, theatricals +being less overstocked then, than now, I obtained an engagement at +Rice's, latterly known as MacVicker's Theatre. + +It was here decided that comic business was my "line," and the public, +not unnaturally, were more than kind to one whom pop-corn had made a +sort of favorite. + +However, it was not until the following winter that a positive success +rewarded me in my new profession. I had been offered an engagement by +Langrish and Atwater, of Wisconsin, and accepted it. This was when I had +nearly reached the rawly ripe age of sixteen. These managers gave me +every chance of displaying what talent I chanced to have. Not only were +such parts as _Ragged Pat_ and the _Irish Tutor_ intrusted to me, but I +shone also with, I now suspect, a somewhat doubtful light in "The Flying +Dutchman," "The Spectre Bridegroom," "Nick of the Woods," and "Ten +Nights in a Bar-room." Irishman, Dutchman, Cockney, Yorkshireman, and +Yankee all came indifferently to my share. + +Bright visions of future reputation as a legitimate actor began to rise +upon me; but at the close of this season, the difficulty of procuring +another engagement forced me to become a theatrical Arab in Yankee +Simpson's travelling company. + +After a brief wandering under their tent, I dissolved my connection with +it, and returned to my last year's Eldorado--Chicago. The reason for my +taking this step, it is unnecessary to put in print. The theatrical +profession will readily divine it, when they are told that shortly +after, I formed a not unimportant member of a joint-stock travelling +company, which for the next six months ran through Illinois and +Wisconsin. We had reached Racine, in the latter State, when our +co-operative speculation came to a sudden end. One morning, on quitting +our virtuous couches, we found that the bed on which our treasurer +reposed had not been tenanted. The vagabond had "absquatulated" with the +whole of the joint-stock funds. + +Here was a situation for the future Forrests, Placides, Broughams, and +Jeffersons of the American stage--for, as such, we considered ourselves. +We were "dead broke." + +Four of these budding reputations, Wolf, Sam Ryan, McManus, and myself, +were tendered by the tenderhearted public a Benefit, to rescue us from +our financial difficulties. It need scarcely be said with what a buoyant +sense of gratitude its pecuniary results were received by us. + +Once more, I struck for Chicago. It was in a beeline. + +It need scarcely be explained that I, at any rate, was heartily sick of +the joint-stock travelling business in theatricals. + +Here, old Dan Emmett, of Emmett's Varieties, in Randolph Street, +Chicago, gave me a short engagement, after the close of which I +accompanied Maggie Mitchell to Milwaukie, where I played with that lady +at the Academy of Music. + +The engagement had been for Miss Mitchell most successful, when one +evening my horror may be imagined at seeing the face of my father among +the audience in front of the scenes. For the moment, I felt as if I +should be glad to see the stage open, and sink through it. My tongue +seemed cleaving to the roof of my month. How I got through my part, it +would be impossible to say. But I managed to do so, and was in my +dressing-room when the call-boy entered and informed me a gentleman was +waiting to see me. + +"Why was he let in?" I roared out. + +"Please; Mister! he said he wanted to see you on most important +business." + +Rushing to the window of the dressing-room, I looked out. It was no use +of thinking of escape, that way. The room was on the third story. A leap +from it was not to be thought of, even if the loose brick and timber +piled at the base of the wall of the theatre had not rendered it doubly +a mad experiment. Delaying as long as I could, I was at last forced to +descend. It was, on my part, a decidedly unrehearsed scene in real life. + +I do not like to speak of my father's remonstrance, or the tears which +accompanied his appeal to me to return home. My pride prevented me from +weeping, but it could scarcely do so. And, indeed, when he took some +considerable blame to himself for having thrown me upon this (as he was +pleased to call it) vagabond life, I am not quite certain that my eyes +were not wet as well as his. + +Suffice it, that, at the close of my present engagement, I consented to +comply with his wishes, and renounce the stage. Then, and only then, he +left me. + +On my way home, at the close of the performances, in Milwaukie, of +Maggie Mitchell, I had determined to pause for a day or two with a +friend who was then in Waukegan. Lewis was considerably older than +myself, and since we had first met I had become much attached to him, as +youth generally does to greater years when they choose to associate with +it. Here occurred my third physical misadventure. + +One evening, while walking, with him, down the principal street, a man, +in company with several others, accosted him. + +What words were interchanged between them, I can scarcely recollect. All +I know, is, that it was one of those inexplicable quarrels which arise +about females. + +They came to blows, and endeavoring to separate the two, I received a +heavy one upon my jaw from a slung-shot, which knocked out two of my +back teeth, and stretched me senseless on the ground. After this I knew +nothing more, save that when I recovered consciousness I was led to the +room of Lewis, by himself. While lying upon the bed, not yet aware of +the full extent of the injury done me, I was recalled to my complete +senses by a terrific clamor in the street. Then, for the first time, I +learnt from Lewis that he had made short work of one of the gang who had +attacked him, by stabbing him fatally. + +The infuriated populace had followed us, and had determined upon +lynching both, as speedily as possible. + +Lewis looked white, and fearfully scared, as he listened to their savage +yells. But it must frankly be owned that I was as thoroughly scared as +he was; although I retained my presence of mind, leapt from the bed, and +was about barricading the door of the apartment--because it would have +been impossible to prevent them entering the house. Then there came a +momentary pause, and the voice of some one having authority was heard in +the street, addressing the crowd. + +"Thank Heaven!" cried Lewis. "It is the sheriff." + +The pause, however, had only been momentary. So wild was the fierce +burst of derision that followed, I almost thought my companion had been +premature in his thankfulness. There was a fierce struggle audible +without, which lasted for some few minutes, and then the sheriff and his +officers were victorious. They demanded admittance in the name of the +law, and after entering the house, arrested Lewis on the charge of +murder, and myself as an accomplice. + +A brief examination, however, soon proved my complete innocence, and I +was discharged, but ordered to give bonds for my appearance against my +friend. Of course I was unable to provide the requisite sureties, being +an entire stranger; and in consequence was locked up in the debtors' +prison. Here was a situation. With my face swollen from the effects of +the blow, two of my teeth knocked out, and my lip and nose fearfully +cut, and incarcerated because I could not get bail! Lewis, nevertheless, +did not desert me. A stranger in Waukegan who had seen me in Milwaukee, +and had heard part of my story from a friend of my father's, recognized +my name, and after verifying my identity by ocular proof (it must have +been somewhat difficult in my then disfigured condition), wrote the +particulars of my trouble to him. He had but just returned to Galena, +and was daily expecting me. Only judge what my surprise must have been, +on seeing him one fine morning appear in the place of my confinement. If +on our last encounter I would have avoided him, what would I not now +have given to have escaped seeing him; under such circumstances. + +It seemed, however, that my fears of his reproaches were wrong. He gave +bail for my appearance upon the trial at the next term, and took me home +with him, without uttering a single reproach. + +Perhaps, as I have since imagined, he may have thought all such +reproach would have been useless with such a confirmed "ne'er-do-weel" +as he must perforce have believed me. + +At the time appointed I, of course, reappeared in Waukegan. +Unfortunately my father had been unable to leave his home, never for an +instant imagining his services might again be required. Owing, however, +to the incompetency of the District Attorney or the astuteness of my +friend's counsel, the trial of the latter was deferred until the +succeeding term of Court; and what was my disgust at finding, having +surrendered on my bail, I was again to have a domicile under lock and +key until the new trial, unless my parent again put in an appearance +upon the scene. But, even while the sheriff was preparing once more to +escort me to jail, a voice from among the crowd in the Court-room sang +out, in that delicious Irish brogue I had so often endeavored on the +stage to imitate with my own tongue: + +"Would yer honor accept the likes of bail, for the poor boy?" + +It must be candidly admitted, that I had never before entertained so +warm a love for the Irish brogue. It sounded like perfect music to my +ears. Still more did it do so, when, after a brief confab between the +Judge and the District Attorney, the proffered bail was accepted, and +with a kindly but vigorous slap on my back, my new bondsman exclaimed: + +"Now! my boy, all I ask of ye, is, that ye don't throw me in for the +bail. When ye were shut up before, yer face didn't spake much for ye. +But now, I couldn't bear to see a good-looking fellow as ye are trotting +off to jail for nothing at all." + +A roar of laughter from those who were present followed this speech. +Very certainly, as my Irish friend said, my "face didn't spake much for +me," upon that previous occasion, if it did possibly justify his +warm-heartedness now. But, as the great dramatist says: "One touch of +kindness makes the whole world kin;" and to a certain extent at any +rate, on this occasion, it did so. His goodness of heart had struck an +answering chord in the bosom of all the spectators. They crowded around +me, offering their congratulations, and shaking my hands with a vigor +which might have gone far to prove that they would have done the same +kindness for me, provided they had merely chanced to think of it. + +Once more, I returned to my father, and resided with him until the Court +a third time convened, when I again returned to Waukegan, and proved to +the good-hearted Irishman that the lad he had become bondsman for, was +not "the boy to throw him in for the bail." + +Now, however, I found that a change of venue had been obtained for the +trial, and I was obliged to go to Chicago. It was a fourth time +deferred, and on my inability or unwillingness to give new bonds in a +city where I could easily have procured bail, I was ordered to prison +for a third time. The sheriff, of course, had no discretion allowed him +in obeying the order of the Court. He therefore conducted me to prison, +when he duly locked the door of my cell upon me. Immediately after, he +unlocked it, saying: + +"Look here, Mose! I have obeyed orders and locked you, up. Now I have +unlocked the door, and am going to let you out, if you choose to act as +my deputy." + +Gladly enough, I consented and entered at once upon my duties. It would +perhaps be unnecessary to say that the sheriff had a few years since +contributed by his own patronage to my success as a pop-corn merchant, +and had subsequently been acquainted with my theatrical struggles. In +addition to this, he had heard the history of my connection with the +case, and felt a kindly disposition to befriend one who had been +unfairly implicated in the matter from the beginning. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + AS A DETECTIVE--HUNTING UP A HORSE AND BUGGY--A RUNAWAY FROM THE + SHERIFF--ON THE TRACK--THE HIDDEN CORPSE--FOLLOWING THE MURDERER + UP--STRUGGLE AND CAPTURE--QUICK JUSTICE--A GOOD "UTILITY" + MAN--MOSQUITOES AND AN OLD STEAM-BOILER--"HOW RICH YOU BE"-- + BECOMING A RUM-SELLER--WHAT IS IN THE BONE WILL OUT OF THE FLESH. + + +As his deputy, I endeavored conscientiously to answer the good opinion +of the sheriff. Suffice it, I so far succeeded, that he recommended me +very strongly to Pinkerton, the celebrated detective of Chicago. At this +time, Pinkerton was going to Waukegan for the purpose of arranging the +means with the authorities there for breaking up a gang of +counterfeiters, then flooding the whole of Northern Illinois and +Southern Wisconsin with bogus money. After a brief interview with me, +Pinkerton appointed me upon his staff, and on his return from Waukegan, +left me in that city. + +Shortly after this, I received a telegram from my chief. It stated that +a man, very gentlemanly in appearance (his description was given), had +stolen a horse and buggy in Chicago. The fellow had gone northward, and +Waukegan was designated as the place where he might probably fetch up. + +When I received the despatch I was with the sheriff, and had just handed +it to him, when an individual drove up with a horse and buggy, both of +which closely answered Pinkerton's description. This person was hailed +with the familiarity whose command is peculiar to the functionaries of +the Law, and as politely, and with even more oppressive familiarity, +requested to-- + +"Get out!" + +The stranger was necessitated to obey this peremptory injunction, and +requested information of its object in a blandly imperturbable manner. + +"You are my prisoner," curtly responded the sheriff. + +"For what, sir?" demanded the man. + +"For stealing that horse and buggy." + +"Good God!" was the instantaneous ejaculation. "You were never more +mistaken in your life." + +Certainly, the rascal would have made his fortune upon the stage, his +look of astonishment was so perfect, while the touch of indignation in +his manner heightened this appearance on his part so admirably. The +sheriff looked at me as if in doubt. I nodded my head slightly. That +which the fellow was only doing as an amateur, was within my +professional experience. + +"Yes, sir! you are the man," replied the sheriff. + +"In a few minutes," said the stranger, "I will prove to you, you are the +most mistaken man in the world." + +"How?" + +"Do you know Mr. Sutherland, sir?" + +He had named one of the most prominent citizens in Waukegan. + +"Very well, indeed!" was the response of the sheriff. + +"Jump in my buggy, then, and we'll drive to his house. There, I can +readily convince you, you are thoroughly mistaken." + +"All right," ejaculated the sheriff. + +In spite of my remonstrating look, he jumped into the buggy, followed +by the stranger, and they drove off. + +It would be needless to detail my reflections. The reader, if gifted +with a fair share of acumen, can readily determine them. In less than +three-quarters of an hour the horse and buggy once more appeared, driven +by the sheriff. He had been making the poor animal pay for his +obtuseness. + +"Well!" I inquiringly uttered. + +"When we arrived at Sutherland's," said the local official, "the fellow +got out and rang the bell. He was some time in waiting for the door to +be opened. Then, he told me he would 'go round the house to the back +door, and wake them up.' I waited some time longer, when the front door +was opened by one of Mr. Sutherland's servants. Naturally enough, I got +out, expecting to see the man within the house. Would you believe it, +the rascal had never entered it." + +"Very decidedly I should," was my exclamation. + +Jumping into the buggy, I requested the sheriff, it is to be feared in a +somewhat too dictatorial tone, to "lay it into the horse," and drive +back. On arriving at Mr. Sutherland's, I asked him to indicate to me the +way the man had gone. He could only point out the side of the house the +runaway had passed round. Leaping out, I prepared to track him. It was +then, that, for the first time in my life, I discovered, I possessed +something of that sleuth-like certainty and readiness, which fitted me +for portion of my future career. + +The morning had been somewhat damp, and by the help of the print his +feet had left upon a field at the back of Mr. Sutherland's dwelling, the +fellow's track was distinctly visible for some half a mile. Here, the +broken branches and twigs of a low hedge proved that he had crossed it +into a lane. On the damp sandy gravel his track was even clearer. Then, +he had encountered some one else, and near this spot traces of a recent +struggle were apparent. From this point I could merely see one track, +and was induced to believe there had been foul play, and that the fellow +I was in chase of, had continued his flight alone. This led me to make a +brief search in the neighborhood of the spot on which the scuffle had +taken place. Just beyond the fence, roughly concealed by torn-up +branches, lay the dead body of a man. The skull had been crushed in as +if by the blow of a heavy club, and the pockets were turned inside out. +I raised the arm of the corpse with ease. The muscles were limp and +flaccid, not having had time to stiffen. It was evident that the murder +had but recently been committed. My future trapper instinct was strong +upon me, and I pursued the one trail for some mile and a half farther. +There it was lost upon a stretch of higher and harder soil into which +the lane had widened. Half an hour was spent in vainly trying to detect +it, and then I made up my mind to return to the town, and give +intelligence to the authorities that a murder had been committed. + +After doing this, and reinforcing my somewhat jaded system with a +draught of good Monongahela, I returned with the local police to the +place where I had found the body. + +On the way, I had made inquiries about the locality, and found that some +half a mile beyond the spot where I had lost the trail, I should reach +the main road, which led to Shiloh. Convinced now that the man was a +determined ruffian, my young professional pride was aroused, and the +determination was already formed by me to capture him. + +Consequently, on reaching the scene of the murder, I left the +authorities to convey the corpse to Waukegan, and recommenced my +pursuit, making every possible inquiry at the houses and farms near the +road, until I arrived at Shiloh. But I have neglected to state, that on +my return to Waukegan I had disguised myself as thoroughly as possible, +and placed in the pockets of my disguise a pair of darbies, (handcuffs) +a revolver, and a brass-knuckle. The suspected murderer, and now known +horse-thief, was a man of robust, almost of Herculean build. When +recognized in the buggy, he had been dressed in the most fashionable +style. Added to this, he had sported black flowing locks, with a dark +and well-trimmed beard. He had now to be found in whatever other guise +of dress or complexion he might choose to adopt, for the criminal +_alias_ of person or apparel is to the full as--perhaps even more +variable than that of name. + +My whole evening was passed in Shiloh, in wandering from one place of +resort to another. + +As yet, my search had been fruitless. But I never dreamt of failing in +it, because I had determined to succeed. I felt certain, I should +capture my man. + +At last, I found myself in a beer-saloon, where, while standing at the +bar and in the act of drinking, my eyes fell upon an individual whom I +instinctively knew was the criminal I was in chase of. He had, however, +undergone a great change. His beard was cropped, or rather it was +shingled off short. As for his hair, it was notched and jagged, as if it +had been curried with a comb that had razor-like teeth. His dress was by +no means of that distinguished character which it had borne earlier in +the day. This, however, arose more from the apparently slovenly fashion +in which it was worn, than any other change in it. + +It is true, he had been unable to alter his eyes, although, now, when he +was off his guard, their glance was freer and more insolent than it had +been when I had first seen him. + +Besides, he had kept with him a cane which he had carried that morning. +This was subsequently a damning proof against him, as the sheriff of +Waukegan was able, as well as myself, to identify it. + +When convinced beyond the possibility of doubt that this was the man, I +quietly approached him, and dealt him a heavy blow with my +brass-knuckles under the jaw. + +This stretched him upon the floor. In a moment I was seated on his chest +and his hands were secured and pinioned. + +[Illustration: "This stretched him on the floor. In a moment, I was +seated on his chest, and his hands were secured and pinioned."--_Page +30._] + +All had been effected so rapidly, that I was again upon my feet, before +the by-standers had recovered from their surprise, and, it might almost +seem, before the criminal could realize what had occurred. + +The persons who had been so suddenly rendered mute by the rapidity of my +assault upon the scoundrel, now found tongue. They approached me in an +anything but friendly guise, demanding what all this meant, and why I +had assaulted "Jackson" in this cowardly fashion. Only two or three, as +I ought to mention, had given him this name, and these were decidedly +the most disreputable-looking individuals present. Naturally enough, +opening my coat, I displayed my official badge, and told them of the +murder which the fellow had committed on the morning just passed, for +plunder. The two or three I have alluded to as calling him by name, +slunk out, while the rest, changing their tone, complimented me warmly +upon the coolness and skill with which they were pleased to say the +arrest had been made. + +As for myself, I must own that when I looked at the thew and muscle of +my prostrate captive, I was far more inclined to compliment myself upon +the recklessness with which I had, single-handed, effected his capture. + +Word was immediately despatched to the sheriff, and, by the following +morning, Jackson was safely lodged in the jail at Waukegan, the county +seat of Lake County. Shortly after this, he was indicted by the Grand +Jury, and a change of _venue_ having been granted, he was removed for +trial to Chicago; where, pleading guilty, he was sentenced to be hanged, +and paid the penalty of his crime upon the gallows. + +As for my poor friend Lewis, he had already pleaded guilty to +manslaughter, and been sentenced to imprisonment for eight years. He +died before the term of his imprisonment had expired. + +In those days, in the West, justice was far shorter and sharper than it +has recently been in New York. There was more pride in the detection of +crime, and considerably readier justice in its punishment. Red-handed +murder had especially little chance of escaping the prompt retribution +of the Law, and it will, I think, be granted by the inhabitants of the +metropolis that the consequent fear was a tolerably fair degree of +preservation for human life, considering the character of the various +elements from which life in that portion of the States was then +composed. + +Having shortly after this returned to my home, I assumed the position +of under-sheriff to my parent, and lived for several months somewhat +quietly, being lionized in no small degree by my friends and neighbors +on account of the capture of Jackson. In a few months, however, +Pinkerton, who had evidently considered me a good "utility" man in the +detective line, wanted my services again. He was engaged in ferreting +out a gang of counterfeiters and horse-thieves, who had been circulating +bad notes, and thinning out the stables above Chicago. Their base of +operations had been made by them at the foot of Little Dalls, now called +Dallton. This was some twenty miles above Portage City. + +Excitement was the only thing I lacked while under my father's wing, and +consequently, in spite of his remonstrances, I determined upon accepting +the offer of employment which Pinkerton made me. + +Starting at once, after seeing my chief, I joined the party with whom I +was to work, at Madison. Here, after laying our plans, or rather, +arranging for the execution of those Pinkerton had laid out for us, we +separated, with the understanding that wherever we met, we were to +proceed as if we had been strangers. The following day, myself and a +companion found ourselves at Big Bull Falls. It would be unnecessary to +trace out our after-route from place to place. For some time we +discovered nothing which might afford any clue to the object of our +search. At last we arrived at Grandfather Bull Falls, when something +occurred which convinced us we had continued too far in that direction. +We consequently returned, and took a straight line towards Black River +Woods. + +By the bye, the man who gave them this name must have had a hide tanned +to the toughness of a leather boot, or he certainly never would have +omitted to commemorate the plague of the mosquitoes which infest it. + +Of all sections of the country populated with this delightful insect, +that I have ever crossed, this is decidedly the worst. So much so, that +I believe it must have been that part of it, in which the man we have +heard of, took refuge from these winged atrocities under an old +steam-boiler, amusing himself while in his fancied security by clamping +their murderous beaks, with an old hammer he chanced to have with him, +to the iron shell through which they were penetrating. The result of +this style of proceeding was perfectly unforeseen by him. In some hour +and a half, the muscle of the trapped mosquitoes was sufficiently strong +for them to raise the iron shell and fly off with it. + +Be this as it may, it is a complete purgatory. You, in vain, try to +smash one mosquito whose fangs you feel in your forehead. While doing +so, another fastens on your nose, and half a dozen more upon either +cheek. The amount of profanity they caused on the tongue of myself and +my companion, I even now look back upon, with considerable contrition. + +The whole of this portion of the country, as far as Black River, was +under Mosquito dominion; and when we quitted it, it was with the sincere +hope, upon my part, that nothing might oblige me to revisit it. + +When we once more met the balance of our party at Stevens Point, which +had been as unsuccessful as ourselves in tracking out the game, it is +now a question to me how our swollen and disfigured faces could be at +all recognizable. + +After some consultation, it was decided that portion of the party +should strike for the Little Eauclaire River, while another should go up +the larger stream called the Big Eauclaire. Myself and companion +remained for a few days at this place, and finding nothing determinate, +dressed ourselves as raftsmen,--in red shirts and overalls, making up +our minds to separate. Then, I hired myself out to run the Caughnaut +Rapids, on a trip to Plover Portage. + +It was on our way in return, when "gigging back," as the raftsmen term +it, that I first caught a glimpse of success. One of the pilots, had to +employ a term well used in the west and south of the States, "cottoned" +to me. This was probably on account of my youth and apparent verdancy, +as well as my muscle. I was just the sort of fellow he evidently +supposed could be employed as a green hand in his illegal calling. We +had been talking of the ways of living in the West one morning, when he +said: + +"Look here, young fellow, thar's many a way of making enough to live, +that's easier than your'n is." + +"How is that?" + +"D'yer see this?" + +At the same time he pulled out of his pocket a lot of "queer," or +counterfeit bills. He must have had more than two hundred dollars of +bogus money of different denominations--fives, threes, and twos--with +him. + +[Illustration: "'D'yer see this?' + +"At the same time he pulled out of his pocket, a lot of 'queer' or +counterfeit bills."--_Page 34._] + +"How rich you be!" I ejaculated, with an innocent look of wonder. + +"Do you think so?" he asked, with a sly wink and chuckle. + +"Good Lord!" I cried out, as if the idea had just come to me. "They're +not--" + +"Ya-as! They ar'--but don't make sich a row about seeing them." + +As he said this, he glanced around as if he had been afraid somebody +might have been within earshot of us. + +"I only wish I could get hold of some of the blamed stuff." + +"If yer do," replied he, "I'll introduce yer to them as makes it." + +"Will you--re-eelly, do that?" + +"Ya-as! young fellow, I will." + +Accordingly, we started on the day after our return down the river, and +having passed Dutchman's Rapids, entered upon what is called the jaws of +the Little Dalls, at the Shingle. Thence, going by the Devil's Elbow and +the Sag safely enough, we came out at the foot of the Dalls proper. Here +my companion showed me the entrance to the cave in which the work of the +gang was carried on. + +He then told me I would have to wait at Portage City, until he could see +his fellows in the business and obtain their permission to introduce a +new recruit to them. Otherwise, it might be dangerous. + +Afterwards, he himself returned to the neighborhood of the Sag. + +While remaining at Portage, I met portions of my party, to whom I +communicated the success I had met with. After talking the matter over +with them, it was suggested by me that I should enter into the +drinking-saloon business, which would not only afford me an apparent +opportunity for disposing of the false money, but render it easy for me +to bring my companions in contact with the counterfeiters. This was +agreed upon, and when the pilot returned, I suggested it to him. He +literally jumped at the idea, and ostensibly helped me in hunting up a +location for my _débût_ in rum-selling, as well as vouching for me most +strongly to the individual from whom I hired it. The rascal was well +known in the place. + +The whole of the time since I had arrived in Portage City, I was in +constant correspondence with Pinkerton, who thoroughly approved of every +step I was taking, and gave me to understand he would be ready at any +moment to join me. + +Well! my saloon was opened, and liquor-drinking was in full blast in it. +The pilot was as good as his word. At different times, he brought down +to me most of his accomplices, or rather of his employers, and I quickly +became a sort of licensed favorite with them. Of course, if I had been +detected in "shoving the queer," and found myself within the grasp of +the law, they wouldn't have cared one red cent, but while I apparently +bought their bogus notes, I was the best of fellows living. In the +meantime, I had gradually introduced them to most of my companions, some +of whom also took portion of their spurious money, paying for it in good +cash. It must be admitted that the whole of the gang were capital judges +of the genuineness of any of, or all, the currency of the various +States. "Wild-cat" notes nothing could induce them to take in exchange, +even for any of their own shinplasters. + +Shortly after this, I found that the counterfeiters were to have a full +meeting in the cave, which I had now several times visited. It was, I +had reason to believe from what the pilot told me, for the purpose of +dividing the spoils of the last mouth, which had been, so he hinted to +me, unusually large. + +My chief was immediately notified. + +Very soon after, he joined me, with the United States Marshal, and made +arrangements with the sheriff and city marshal to pounce upon the whole +gang. + +I say, he joined me. But this is scarcely the case, as he only saw me +once previously to the night on which I knew they were to meet at the +cave. + +Arrangements, under his shrewd supervision, were capitally made. The +cave had two entrances, one at the side of it, some considerable +distance from the main one. A part of his men, with a section of the +local police, under the United States and city marshals, were to be +placed there to prevent any chance of escape. Himself and the sheriff of +Portage were to be conducted by me to the main entrance. It would be +needless to say, that as a desperate resistance to us was within the +probable chances, every man in either party was well armed. Our +suspicions respecting this were not, however, destined to be realized. +Pinkerton's precautionary measures had been too well taken. When we were +discovered, a rush had been made for the other entrance. Here, they +found out that they had been completely trapped. + +Then, rightly believing that the party at the main entrance was the +principal one, they returned, and had a parley with the sheriff and +Pinkerton, or rather with the last, ultimately coming out and +surrendering. + +After having been handcuffed, and placed in the boats, part of our men +were left in the cave to secure the spoils, while the rest of us +returned with our prisoners to Portage. It was one of the largest hauls +of counterfeiters, with their implements of trade and spurious money, as +well as a fair amount of good paper, which had up to that time ever +been made in the West, and redounded very much to the credit of my +chief, as well as myself--the last, mainly on account of the warm way in +which he was pleased to compliment the share I had taken in it. Most +certainly it resulted in the breaking up of the gang at that time known +as the Guy Fox band, whose depredations had extended for several years +from the Lakes to the Gulf. It had been the terror of the country, as it +had resorted to every species of crime with the view of furthering their +schemes. In due time they were all convicted and sent for various terms +to the Penitentiary. All of them had the satisfaction of serving out +their time, with one solitary exception. This was my friend the pilot of +the raft, whose wish to make me a tool had led to their apprehension. + +He was not, in every respect, a bad fellow, and his look of bewildered +astonishment when, with the handcuffs on his hands, he saw me on the +boat with Pinkerton, was so miserably pitiable, that I could not help +feeling some tenderness towards him. + +In the fulness of my heart, I spoke to my chief about him on the same +night after our return to Portage. + +"I will see about it, Mose," he replied, with a dry smile. "But, if you +had as long an experience as I have, you would know how useless mercy +would be to him. What is in the bone will out in the flesh." + +The fellow was released, upon Pinkerton's application, some twelve +months afterwards, and, as I have heard, verified my chief's +appreciation of rascality. It has been said he was shot by a stalwart +farmer, some three years afterwards, in the neighborhood of Dubuque, +Iowa, in consequence of an attempt at highway robbery. This fact, +however, I am unable to verify. So, let my readers charitably hope, the +lesson he had received bore the good fruit of turning him again into the +paths of honesty. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + UNDER THE SHADOW OF MY OWN VINE AND FIG-TREE--TOO MUCH + SYMPATHY--AGAIN IN THE THEATRE--MY FIRST TRIP ACROSS THE PLAINS--A + FIDDLE AS A SENSATION--THE FREE FIGHT--MY FIRST LESSON IN + SWIMMING--WANTED, A NEW BOW--JUDGMENT ON A WHISKEY-DRINKER--THE + THIRD TIME--OUT HE GOES--A STAMPEDE--GROWING INTO FAVOR--THE + HORSE-THIEVES--MILITARY JUDGMENT. + + +For a brief time, I again returned to my father, who had been unwilling +that I should rejoin Pinkerton. He could stand my being deputy-sheriff +under his own eye, but he did not relish my becoming a regular +detective. + +However, his term of office as sheriff was now expired, and I told him: + +"I must do something." + +"So you shall," he replied. "There is a nice little farm at some fifteen +miles distant. I will buy it for you." + +I had never yet resided under what Scripture calls "the shadow of my own +vine and fig-tree." The idea struck me in a favorable light, and I +cordially accepted his offer, although somewhat doubting my capacity in +an agricultural line. + +However, the die was cast, and in a few weeks I had settled down in the +original occupation of our common parent, having at the same time become +a married man. + +It must be admitted that from the very start I found wedlock infinitely +more agreeable than tilling the soil. + +My previous almost nomadic style of existence had to a great measure +incapacitated me for this wearisomely primitive style of life. It was of +no use trying to relish it. Luckily, there are all sorts of temperaments +in this world, or what would humanity do for wheat, corn, and +garden-stuff. My nature was decidedly not adapted to raising them. + +My wife saw my utter incapability as a farmer. She was a good little +soul, and frequently condoled with me on it. + +This was the very worst thing, possibly, that she could have done. It +added edge to my disgust with it. Night after night, when the day's work +was over, were spent by me in querulously grumbling, and by her in +consoling my discontent at my condition in life. + +At length the farming season ended, and then my detestation of +agriculture was doomed to be inconceivably heightened. + +While I had out-of-door occupation, I could stand its regular monotony. +Without it, what was there for me to do? I could but wander round the +yard, and look at my pigs, fodder my cattle, take a stroll to the next +farm, some three miles away, return to my little wife, expect her to +console me, and then retire to bed, with the expectation of awaking to +another day of the same humdrum existence. + +My life had a necessity for positive activity. + +The good little soul to whom I was married saw this; possibly too late. +However this was, it came about that, with her full consent, although +not without many tears on her part, and a considerable quantity of +gloomy sorrow on mine, I left her at home, and struck out once more into +the world. + +It would be useless to narrate every incident of this winter, but in +the spring of 1855 I brought up at St. Joseph, Missouri. + +Here, Maggie Mitchell was at this period playing as a "star," and to her +I was indebted for a short engagement in the Theatre. It lasted for six +weeks. When it came to a conclusion, I determined upon visiting +California, at that time the Ophir and Golconda of the further side of +this continent. However, it was no use starting with the small means I +then had, unless some positive manner of living in San Francisco, at my +first arrival there, was secured. Therefore, I telegraphed to Thomas +McGuire, of McGuire's Opera House, who was about to open the New +Metropolitan Theatre. In reply, he offered me an engagement for the +September following. It was a long time to wait, but luckily I had +recently become acquainted with John Crim, of the firm of Crim, Ebright +and Coutts, who was organizing a party to cross the Plains. + +He spoke to me about joining them, and in almost less time than it takes +me to pen these few lines, I had arranged to accompany him. + +It was upon the 6th of May, after having written a long and lovingly +explanatory letter to my wife, I started from St. Joseph. + +There were three hundred and seventy-five head of horses, and +seventy-five men, all thoroughly armed and equipped. Each of them was +furnished with a Sharp's carbine with sabre-bayonet, and a revolver. It +was almost like the moving of a little army. The organization had been +made in thorough military style, and perhaps with even more discipline, +being under the command of Captain Crim himself. + +Naturally, I was almost a total stranger to all of them except our +leader, but I soon began to form acquaintances, and in a few days became +more especially linked in friendship with Dave Horner, the brother to +Puss Horner, and the blacksmith of the party. The last was a sturdy +Englishman, rejoicing in the _sobriquet_, by which he was commonly known +amongst us, of Brighton Bill. + +Our first halting-place was opposite Marysville, on the Big Blue River. + +It then consisted of some four or five rough stone houses, covered with +dirt, half a dozen _adobe_ huts, as I have since learnt to call them, +and a gambling hell, specially designed to pigeon emigrants in those +delightful games known as Three-card Monte, the Strap Game, and others +of an equally holy and pleasant character. This building, only of one +story, was also the station at which the Pony Express changed horses. + +After supper, Brighton Bill, Horner, and Pigeon--thus denominated +because his outside attire was a swallow-tailed coat--strolled through +Marysville. It was the first settlement we had struck since leaving St. +Joseph, and we were curious about the customs, habits, and style of +living of the place. In any case, I was so decidedly. + +Dave had brought his violin with him. He was a capital fiddler, and in +travelling across the plains, it is not always necessary to leave our +business behind us. Dave certainly carried the means of displaying his +accomplishment with him. + +That fiddle created a veritable sensation. It might have been imagined +that none of the inhabitants of Marysville had ever seen a fiddle +before. His music was taken in exchange for whiskey, cigars, and +anything else we wanted. Indeed, I began to believe that Captain Crim +might run the risk of losing Horner as a member of the party. It almost +seemed to me, as if, in a day or two, Dave might have become the owner +of the whole settlement. However, in supposing this, I had not precisely +calculated the full effects of temper and whiskey upon Brighton Bill. He +began to feel the effects of the latter and by degrees lost the former. +A somewhat scurrilously jocose allusion to his nationality was made by +one of the natives. The indignant Briton no sooner heard it, than he +struck out, right from the shoulder, in true Johnny Bull fashion. The +offending native went down on the sandy soil of the High Street of +Marysville as if he had been projected by a catapult. + +Some few rows I had seen in my life before this, but never such a free +fight as followed. + +The whole of the male portion of the settlement (by the bye, it was +nearly all of it) joined in the _mêlée_. + +Had it not been for the assistance of many of our companions, who had +also amused themselves with an exploring tour through Marysville, we +might have got the worst of it. Luckily, they took a hand in the game, +which saved us. Pistol-shots were, however, freely interchanged, and an +individual was dropped, who had just drawn a bead upon Bill, with a +bullet behind his ear. + +After this, we retreated in as good order as we could, towards the river +which lay between us and the spot where our camp was pitched. + +The darkness of night had, however, by this time, fallen upon us, and +being strangers, our party managed to become separated. Horner and +myself kept together, but when we reached the stream, it was at a +different portion of it from that where the skiff lay that had borne us +over. We knew not which side to turn. + +While standing there, we heard the sound of oars; or, more properly, of +a means of propulsion bearing an equal consanguinity to oars and +paddles. They were peculiar to the Plains at that time. What was to be +done? If we had shouted to our friends, we should have disclosed our +whereabouts to our enemies. + +Horner, however, was a man of educational resource, and volunteered to +swim across and return with the skiff for me, as I was unable to +accompany him. + +It may be imagined I felt some repugnance at being left to the mercy of +Marysville, if it should chance to find me. Searching around, I stumbled +over something, which, on examination, I discovered was an old +"dug-out," or species of impromptu ark. To this I at once determined +upon committing myself and my fortunes, with a broad piece of board +which I found at some little distance. This might serve as a paddle. +Accordingly, as Horner plunged into the river, I availed myself of it. +But the cursed thing gave me a lesson I have never since forgotten, when +the chance was given me to remember it. It is contained in the old +proverbial saying, "look before you leap." The dug-out had a hole in it. +Scarcely had it got a dozen yards from the shore, than it was fast +filling. In a few yards more, it was under water; and for the sake of +remaining above its unpleasantly chilly surface, I, very considerately, +let it go to--the bottom. + +This was the worst fix I had yet found myself in. + +But there is no lane without a turning, although it must be confessed +some of these turnings are occasionally sharp and rough. Thinking my +last moment was come, and that some time next morning my unconscious +body might arrive on shore some miles lower down the river, to afford a +meal to the stray dogs or crows of this part of the country, I struck +out recklessly in a battle for as much more of life as I could possibly +keep. + +A few moments passed. Great Heaven! I did not sink. I was actually +swimming. + +"Where are you, Dave?" I shouted out, joyously. + +"Here, old boy!" was the cheery answer. + +That single exclamation settled my wish for conversation while in the +Big Blue River. It had filled my mouth with water, and was very nearly +on the point of bringing my first lesson in swimming to a most abrupt +close. So I kept my tongue quiet, until at length I arrived drippingly +joyous at the further side of the stream. + +Horner was, necessarily, there before me, and assisted me to mount the +bank. + +"I thought, Mose, you told me you couldn't swim." + +"Nor could I, Dave! You know, necessity is the mother of invention." + +"So it seems," he dryly replied. "I only wish it would find me a new bow +for my fiddle. The blackguards smashed that." + +"It was lucky," I said, "they left you a whole skin." + +"Upon my word! it was so," was his answer. + +We then from the summit of the bank looked round us, and saw the welcome +glow of our smouldering camp-fires, some half a mile below. + +Horner spent the remainder of that night, after our return, in attending +to his violin. The truth is, it needed it. I, however, slept soundly, +and was awoke on the following morning at an early hour in very fair +trim. The truth is, early experience had taught me what the results of +bad whiskey are, and led me to refrain from an unhealthy indulgence in +that exhilarating class of strong drink. But few of our companions had +been as prudent. Brighton Bill and Dave more expressly felt the full +effects of it; and with a parched tongue, and a splitting headache, +heaped their fullest maledictions upon Marysville, and all the ungodly +dwellers in that location, during the whole of that day. + +His cold-water bath on the preceding night had, however, so modified the +effects of whiskey upon Horner, that I was unprepared to find him so +depraved in his appetite for it. + +He was indifferent how he got it, whether clandestinely, to use the +mildest possible phrase, or not. Happening to be on guard one night at +our camping-place, he felt this thirst strong upon him. Not having the +means of gratification with him, he actually bored a hole in one of the +whiskey-barrels, and made free with its contents by means of a straw. In +the morning he was what politeness would call "frightfully overcome." In +good old Saxon, he was drunk. + +Now Captain Crim had a holy horror of peculation--more especially, +perhaps, of whiskey-peculation, when it was committed in the manner Dave +had been guilty of. Nor in truth do I much blame him. Instead of boring +the hole near the top of the barrel, and insuring himself merely +sufficient, Horner had bored it about one-third down. He had also +omitted to plug it up when he had satisfied himself. There was perhaps +some reason for this, as when he had finished drinking he might have +failed again to find the aperture. + +At all events, when Captain Crim rose in the morning, one-third of the +whiskey had dispersed itself over the bottom of the wagon devoted to its +carriage, and Horner's guilt was self-evident, putting his own state +entirely out of the question. + +A drum-head, or rather a whiskey-barrel, court-martial was immediately +called together. The impenitent, because scarcely conscious, thief was +arraigned, tried, and found guilty. Sentence was, however, suspended. +This was partly, because, at the moment, he would have failed to +comprehend its justice. More so, because it was hoped that when restored +to complete consciousness, his friends might have influence enough with +him to prevent the recurrence of so gross a breach of the laws of social +equity. At first it appeared it would have done so. But again he fell +from the high standard of morality on the Plains, and the captain had +determined upon expelling him from the camp. Brighton Bill and myself +headed the rest of the party in a strong remonstrance. At first Crim was +disposed to defy us, but finding us all united in the wish to save the +poor fellow, finally gave way. + +The luckless Dave swore himself to perennial sobriety. But, alas! he +once more fell from grace, in an emigrant-train. Then Captain Crim +insisted with Spartan justice on the rigid execution of the lately +postponed sentence. + +What could be said upon his behalf? Those who had been willing to deal +kindly with him upon the score of his fiddle, could find no word to urge +in his favor. Possibly, in their eyes the liquor he had been guilty of +abstracting was of greater present value, even, than his violin. One +only of us stuck to him. This was a relative, I believe a nephew, of our +captain. + +"If you turn Dave out, you shall turn me, too;" he said pluckily. + +Crim's lips whitened. + +"Then, by the Lord!" he said. "Out you both go." + +And out both did go, with such provisions as might be immediately +necessary, horses, arms, and a sufficiency of powder and shot to last +them until they were picked up by another train or scalped by the +Indians. The last, however, I doubt, as although I never again heard of +Dave Horner, I have reason to believe his companion is now settled in +Sacramento, and is a prosperous merchant in that thriving city. + +Until we arrived at Ash Hollow, on the south side of the North Platte, +nothing of any moment occurred. Here as we were camping, a magnificent +and noted bay horse, called Captain Fisher, took fright and started off +at a furious pace with a number of the stock. In fact, it was a regular +stampede, and one of the most exciting sights I had ever seen. However, +I had no more than the first moment to enjoy it in. Action was a +necessity, and my old circus-training stood me in good stead, to be of +some service. I darted after the bay with a speed that nearly equalled +his own. How long this would have held out, it is, of course, impossible +for me to say. Something, however, caused Captain Fisher to swerve +across my line of pursuit. Leaping, rather than running after him, I +succeeded in grasping him by the rope attached to the hackamoor or +halter. His terrified speed was so great that I was thrown upon the +ground and dragged by him for a considerable distance. But for my long +experience as a boy on the sawdust of the arena, it would have been +absolutely useless for me to have attempted regaining my feet. How I +escaped serious bodily injury from the remainder of the stampeded +horses, I never knew. Escape I however did, as well as again recover a +standing or rather a running position. The rest of the business was now +comparatively easy--indeed, a mere matter of time. Clinging to the rope, +I compelled him to slacken his pace, until, at last, I succeeded in +grasping the affrighted animal by the mane and vaulting upon his back. +There, I was the master, and he was not long in finding it out. + +It was about three miles from our halting-place when I succeeded in +turning him. The remainder of the stampeded horses followed us. +Thoroughly cowed by his past fright, and the certainty that he had to do +as I chose, we arrived at the camp. + +All my mates crowded round me with congratulations, and Captain Crim +shook me by the hand as I leapt from the back of the other Captain with +a warmth that was at the least as effective as it was affecting. It was +the second time he had honored me. The first occasion was when I had +entered upon my service with him in St. Joseph. Nor did his second grip +mean nothing. It established me, with him, from that hour, as a prime +favorite. + +In the vicinity of Chimney Rock, we encountered an apparently agreeable +party of some half-dozen travellers, who applied for permission to +travel with our train. Captain Crim complied with their request, +extending to them the camp privileges on condition of their complying +with its necessary restrictions. Our new friends seemed not only +grateful for his hospitable kindness, but too eager to display their +gratitude. + +They continued with us some two days, without exciting any suspicion. + +During the second night after their admission to the camp, it happened +to be my watch, and while on my rounds, I seemed to notice a movement +in some of the animals which indicated that all was not perfectly as it +should be. They did not seem as quiet as usual. + +Bending closer to the earth and gazing along it, with my eyes covered by +my hand from the glare of the camp-fires, I saw some description of +animal, which I at once supposed was a coyote or Prairie-wolf. As yet, +such an animal was unknown to me. To make assurance doubly sure, I +raised my rifle to my shoulder, and in another instant should have +blazed away at it, when it suddenly straightened itself up, yelling out +frantically: + +"For God's sake, don't shoot!" + +"Come in, then," was my answer. + +As the fellow gradually sneaked nearer to me, it seemed that I +recognized him. And, very certainly, when he was within the light of the +camp-fires, I did so. It was one of the party of agreeable gentlemen +whom our captain had hospitably permitted to travel with us. The +scoundrel had been tampering with the fastenings of our horses, +preparatory to stealing them. + +Never shall I forget Captain Crim's look of unutterable horror at the +fellow, when I woke him up in his tent, with my prisoner. The +indignation which he had exhibited on poor Dave Horner's third detection +in whiskey-stealing, was nothing to it. + +"A darned horse-thief! Who'd ever have thought it!" + +"I assure you, Captain--" + +"Hold your tongue, you infernal rascal, or, by Heaven! I'll make short +work of you and your companions." + +"Let me explain, my dear sir!" he whined. + +"Have them all turned out, Mose!" thundered Crim. "They are lucky to +have me to deal with them. Any one else would have hanged the whole +lot." + +By this time, the whole camp was alive, more especially our forty-eight +hour acquaintances. These disowned the culprit, as a stranger who had +but recently joined them. Their defence was, however, too thin; and as +the ominous murmur arose around them that-- + +"Lynching would be the shortest and best settlement of the matter"-- + +It was concluded by them, it would be wisest to obey. This, the more +especially, as I had collected some dozen of my immediate friends, who +stood ominously close to me, with rifles in hand, and six-shooters very +palpably visible. + +In another ten minutes, they had all left the camp. + +When we arrived at Fort Laramie, Crim reported this gang of marauding +horse-thieves to the officer in command of that post. Several days on +our route beyond the fort, we were overtaken by the Pony Express, and +learned that this very band had been captured in its immediate vicinity. +Military justice is very prompt. It may make an occasional mistake, +although not often. They had all been hung. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + CAUGHT BY THE INDIANS--A PLEASANT RIDE--ONE PITYING FACE--BENEFIT + OF BEING A MASON--THE EVIL EYE--INDIAN BEAUTY AND INDIAN + EATING--THE OFFER OF MARRIAGE--DECLINING IT, MAKES ME A FRIEND--A + SECOND AND MORE TEMPTING OFFER--DECLINING IT, DOES NOT MAKE ME AN + ENEMY--PULLING UP MY STAKES WITH HONOR--THE PONY EXPRESS--AGAIN + WITH THE TRAIN. + + +Previous to our reaching Fort Laramie, we had been able to procure +plenty of fresh meat. + +The antelope and buffalo had almost seemed waiting for our rifles. Now, +however, we met with few or none of either of these, and the scarcity +began to be severely felt. + +Even Captain Crim grew more peppery with us than he had before been, and +Brighton Bill lost his usual ruddy jollity. + +Consequently, one morning, I started out with a determination to find +fresh meat or die. To tell the truth, it came very near to being the +latter. + +As yet, all the Indians we had met with on the Plains had been of +friendly tribes, and at this time no danger was anticipated. I was +already some six or seven miles from our train, on the upper side of the +North Platte, past what they call the Rattlesnake Hills, when I beheld +approaching me a party of Indians. At this time, I was unaware what +tribe they were, although now I should pretty readily be able to tell +that they were Cheyennes. These are generally hostile to the whites, +unless overawed by superior numbers. I necessarily mean, a +proportionately superior number--about one, perhaps, to three. The party +approached me in an apparently friendly manner, or else the fleet +gelding I was mounted on might easily have distanced them. On +approaching nearer, they requested, in the usual Indian manner, for +tobacco or powder. The first, I readily enough gave them. The latter I +was not inclined to part with. Suddenly one of the Indians drew closer +to me, and laid his hand on my rifle. I pulled it back from him, and at +the same moment was grasped round the waist from behind, by a savage +whom I had not previously noticed. + +My desperate struggles were in vain. I was torn from my horse, and in a +few moments more found myself weaponless, with my arms pinioned behind +me, and lashed on the back of one of their ponies. The raw hide-whangs +round my waist were tied so tightly as almost to stop the circulation. + +The animal was then turned loose, and followed with whoop and yell by +the savages as if they had been nothing else than a band of devils. The +Cheyenne who was probably their chief had appropriated my horse. How +madly I wished that Charlie would throw the red demon as he galloped +after me, shouting and whooping like an incarnate fiend. + +In that mad race, for at the moment I almost fancied the Indians and +myself were all lunatics on a wild race to the infernal regions, what a +paroxysm of despairing thought rushed through my mind. Was I to go out +of life something like the dying snuff of a candle, without one free +blow in a square fight? And these were the Indians I had read of as a +boy, these cowardly, sneaking red curs, who had not dared to give me a +chance for my life. Great God! Where was Brighton Bill and my other +companions? What would Captain Crim say if he ever heard of this? Then I +thought of my father, Pinkerton, Maggie Mitchell; and, as my wife's face +rose on my vision--my good little wife, I could or would think no more. +All became momentarily a blank. Again, however, I returned to my senses. +I heard the whooping yell of the red devil who was astride of my +gelding, Charlie, and I cursed him in good round Saxon, as if he could +understand me. + +But what is the use of dwelling upon this. After a ride of some two +hours and a half, in a fashion I had never expected to attempt, my +captors came in sight of an Indian village. + +Here I was cut loose from the pony upon which I had performed the most +painful feat of horsemanship I had ever attempted, and dragged instead +of led into the presence of the chief of the tribe. All the inhabitants +of the village surrounded me. Squaws, old and young, papooses of either +sex, and all the components of an Indian mob, were crowding around the +white captive. + +One only face I saw which displayed anything like pity. It was that of +an Indian girl of some sixteen years. Whether it was pretty or ugly, I +knew not. I only felt that I saw sorrow in her large and star-like eyes, +as they gazed upon me. + +Curiously enough, they gave me a sensation of hope. The moment before I +had been madly desiring that the drama of life, with me, might come to +an end. Now, I began to think and weigh my chances, which, to own up, at +the present moment appeared slim enough for safety. + +My hands and arms seemed almost dead, and some minutes elapsed before +they recovered the consciousness of life. Looking in the face of the +chief, I saw that he was an old man. As in great age it not unfrequently +happens, his face had regained somewhat of the kindliness of youth. At +any rate it lacked the repulsive character which marked that of my +captor. Suddenly, it seemed to me--was I dreaming? No! This time, I was +certain of it. He had made the Masonic sign of distress. The girl's +sympathetic glance had been palpably an omen of good. + +Trembling with agitation I responded. + +What immediately followed I am unable to recall. Indeed, I doubt whether +at the time I was thoroughly conscious of it. + +When I undoubtedly had fully recovered my presence of mind, I found that +matters had completely changed for me. The death at the stake, which had +seemed to be my destiny, had faded from my senses. The red devils almost +seemed to have been transmuted into copper-colored angels. I was seated +on a buffalo-robe, and some of the elder squaws were bathing my swollen +limbs with cooling lotions, and looking--gratitude was almost compelling +me to say what literal truth cannot. They certainly did not look in any +wise amiable or handsome. + +While this was going on, a tall and splendidly formed specimen of the +red man entered the hut. He was dressed in a robe or tunic, +magnificently embroidered with shells and beads. He had evidently been +sent for by the chief, as I soon discovered, because he was able to +speak English. The only blemish in his personal appearance was a sort of +dip in his right eyebrow, which partially closed the organ beneath. +White superstition might possibly have gifted him with the evil eye. The +Indian name he bore somewhat corresponded with this, as he was called +Par-a-wau, or "The Warning Devil." + +First, addressing the chief (I afterwards found this was Old Spotted +Tail) in their own tongue, he received an answer. + +Then turning to me, he extended his hand and gave me the Masonic grip. +After this, he seated himself beside me, and addressed me in my own +tongue, asking how I came upon the hunting-grounds of the Cheyennes, +where I was from, and whither I was going? When he had received my +answers and repeated them to the chief in the tongue of their tribe, he +next began to inquire very minutely about Masonry among the palefaces. +In subsequent conversations with him, for in the present case I had only +to reply, I found that the Indians had first been initiated in its +mysteries by the agents of the Hudson Bay Company. Neither had it been +much carried beyond the northern and western tribes. This was learnt +from Par-a-wau, when I began to feel perfectly at ease with him. + +At this time I was merely a captive, although I had, from the mere +chance of Old Spotted Tail's appreciation of my personal appearance, +escaped the risk of no longer being one, by the most speedy means of +escape from life my red acquaintances could have devised for me, +consistently with their own amusement. Be it remembered, in stating this +fact, individual vanity bears no part--the Indian idea of comeliness +being very much the reverse, in general, of the white man's idea of that +desirable qualification. + +After his examination of me had been brought to an end, he made an +oration of some length to the aged Cheyenne chief. He had risen to his +feet as he did so, and the grace of his movements, with his full and +rollingly sonorous voice, might have done credit to the best of our own +orators. Indeed, so completely did his gesture translate his speech, +that I could almost follow every word of the appeal he was making for +me. He was evidently pleading for my pardon. This I feel I should have +received, if I am sufficiently a judge of human features to have +translated the benign savageness of Old Spotted Tail's countenance. But +there are always two sides to a question, and the young chief, who had +appropriated not only myself but my gelding, Charlie, now put in for a +long talk. I could swear he was not half as eloquent as Par-a-wau. +However, what he said in a harsh voice, and with a large amount of what +might be called temperate wrath, settled the question in discussion. The +elders of the tribe gave him, twice or thrice, that discordant grunt of +acquiescence which Fenimore Cooper, the modern writer, has translated +more musically as-- + +"Ugh!" + +Consequently Old Spotted Tail pronounced a few words, and my red +lawyer--so I began to consider Warning Devil, although I had been unable +to fee him--turning to me, said in English: + +"Will my brother come with Par-a-wau to his dwelling?" + +Of course I would, because I must. How, indeed, could I do otherwise? So +I followed him. The fact is, I had begun to entertain a certain degree +of liking for the chief with the evil eye. He had befriended me. If my +Cheyenne captivity had been a long one, I scarcely doubt that this +liking would have ripened. However, I had now to accompany him. Let my +readers conceive how great was my astonishment when I entered his hut +after him, to find my first glance riveted by his daughter. + +She was the Indian maiden whose look of sympathizing pity had, some two +hours previously, called back my numbed senses to new life and hope. + +"Will Clo-ke-ta provide my brother food?" + +She too, then, spoke, or at any rate comprehended, my language, for she +made no reply, but began to busy herself in preparing an Indian meal. +During the time which elapsed before it was ready, I was able in a most +satisfactory manner to take an inventory of her personal attractions. +These I shall, however, refrain from inflicting upon my readers. Let it +be sufficient to say that she was one of the most beautiful children of +the red man (if not the only really beautiful one) I had ever seen. + +Perhaps it was well for me, that while I was watching her every supple +and graceful movement, the thought of the dear little wife who was +waiting for me in the far East, appealed to my love for her. + +Otherwise, it may have been possible that I might have forgotten +civilization forever. The nomadic life had always great attractions for +me. Where could I more thoroughly have indulged in it, than as the +son-in-law of Warning Devil, and the owner of such a charming squaw as +Clo-ke-ta might have proved to me? However, this was a wrong, as well as +not altogether agreeable, reflection. + +Turning my head with something like a sigh on my lips to Par-a-wau, I +saw that his one unhidden eye was fixed steadily upon me. + +"My brother is sad," he said. "But the trees are not always green. He +must wait in peace until they once more bud." + +He had scarcely interpreted the meaning of my sigh. Yet his poetical +words (whatever nonsense may be prated about them by novelists, such +Indians as I have met with rarely display any trace of poetical feeling) +brought me thoroughly back to my present position, and I asked him: + +"How long I should have to remain a captive with the Cheyennes?" + +This he was unable to say, but he informed me Old Spotted Tail had +granted me the freedom of the village, although with the precaution that +an Indian guard should accompany me whenever Par-a-wau could not. + +Clo-ke-ta now had the meal prepared, which was a very satisfactory +spread for an appetite which had been unattended to since the early hour +in which I left Captain Crim's camp. The jerked antelope and the roasted +maize were in truth excellent, and if I only had been offered a horn of +whiskey to wash it down with, I might not altogether have regretted the +dinner I had lost. This, especially when I now remember the bright eyes +and raven hair of her who attended to the need of my inner man. + +The fancy, which Old Spotted Tail had evidently taken for me, was +destined to exhibit itself in true Indian fashion. + +He offered me one of his own daughters in marriage. + +But I was not educated in Mormonism; and even had I been, it may be +questionable, while I daily saw Clo-ke-ta, whether El-eu-e-na, which was +the name of the chief's daughter, would have had any attractions for +me. She was not particularly interesting in appearance. Whether she had +any fancy for my luckless self or not, it would be impossible for me to +say. An Indian girl's affections do not count for much in the eyes of +their fathers. In spite of this, I most respectfully declined the +alluring offer, through Par-a-wau, with, as he afterwards informed me, +the most profound expression of thankfulness for the undeserved honor +Old Spotted Tail had done me. + +This seemed to me, as I listened without understanding, to greatly +gratify the chief who had captured me, and led to a result that was +infinitely more gratifying to myself, as he aspired to the honor of +registering himself as one of Old Spotted Tail's sons-in-law. + +On the same evening, however, I was destined to a really far greater +temptation. It was after the evening meal, and I was seated near +Par-a-wau. His child was putting away the willow platters and other +means of serving up and disposing of the food she had, as customary, +prepared. While she was attending to her domestic duties, Warning Devil, +without any warning, addressed me. + +"My brother has keen eyes." + +"They are sharp enough at times, but they could not keep me out of the +hands of the Cheyennes." + +"He knows that El-eu-e-na is not fair to look on." I could not help +laughing as he said this. "Nor would she make a good squaw. She could +not prepare the buffalo or the antelope, nor clean my brother's rifle, +nor embroider his moccasins, as a great chief needs that she should." +What the deuce was he coming to? I was not doomed to wait long, for +after a pause he addressed me this question in an affirmative manner, +which I at once understood. "My brother has seen Clo-ke-ta?" + +"Yes!" + +"And what does he think of her?" + +For my life, I could not have helped casting a swift glance at the +Indian girl. She was standing near us, with her eyes veiled by their +brown lids, and a crimson blush glowing through her dusky skin, over her +cheeks, forehead, neck, and all of the upper portion of her person which +was exposed. So fierily red was this flush, I could not help seeing it +even in the gathering gloom. + +"Cannot my father see with his own eyes," I replied. "She is as fair as +the young red morning." + +This was said by me in a grave and reserved tone, which among men of my +own race would have precluded the continuance of the parent in what I +felt he had been about to say. But I had not counted truly upon the +Indian nature. My present gravity was the exact reproduction of his own. +It was so unlike my usual manner, that he evidently supposed I had taken +the matter he was about to propose into serious consideration. He +consequently again spoke. + +"If my brother will take Clo-ke-ta as his squaw, he shall be to +Par-a-wau as a son, in place of the young warrior who is dead. He knows, +for he has seen what Clo-ke-ta can do for her father's friend. She will +do more for him who marries her. Shall it be as Par-a-wau says?" + +It must frankly be admitted that for one moment the loveliness of the +face I had just seen, and which I dared not again glance at, made me +waver. Then, the memory of my wife and my own actual father rushed +across me with passionate force, and I spoke. I was no longer a coward. + +Looking up, I told the noble savage--for I have the right to call him +noble--all. I told him that I was already married, and had my father +still living; that if I were to do what he had offered me the means of +doing, I should bring a stain upon my name their tenderness might never +blot from it. + +[Illustration: "Looking up, I told the noble savage, for I have the +right to call him noble, all."--_Page 63._] + +For some time, all was silent. + +Then I felt my hand clasped in the cold fingers of two small and dusky +ones, and raised to the lips of Clo-ke-ta. + +"My brother is right," she said. "If he made Clo-ke-ta his squaw, and +left her to return to the East, Clo-ke-ta would die." + +Immediately after, I and the Warning Devil were alone in the gloom. + +It almost seemed to me as if Par-a-wau must have resented my implied +refusal to marry his daughter. But he did not. Nay! on the contrary I +soon found he either assisted me in my wish for liberation, or was glad +to get rid of me. Nevertheless, I am inclined to think that my captor +also assisted in promoting my liberation. In his wish to become the +son-in-law of Old Spotted Tail, he was, at least, equally anxious to get +rid of my presence in the tribe. On the ninth day of my captivity, the +aged chief gave me permission to pick up my stakes and quit my enforced +camping-ground. + +In doing so, he presented me with many presents, among which was a +war-club, magnificently decorated with Indian carvings. This, he +informed me through Par-a-wau, would be a protection to me from all +hostile tribes, east of the Rocky Mountains. + +However, it was to the gratification of finding me no longer opposed to +the chief who had captured me, that I was mostly indebted. This young +brave restored me not only the gelding he had deprived me of, but my +rifle, the revolver I carried, and even the tobacco-pouch which he had +appropriated. Let no one, from this time, henceforth say that there is +no gratitude in a savage breast. He had found that I did not propose +standing in his way. Why should he interpose any obstacles to my +removing myself completely out of it. + +Par-a-wau also gave me a pony and a magnificent Indian robe or tunic. +But the farewell that touched me most was that of Clo-ke-ta. + +As I was about leaving the Cheyenne village, she placed in my hand, with +a pair of embroidered moccasins, a flower. It was the one which among +the Indians is supposed to typify memory and regret. + +Regretfully, I looked after her as I left the Cheyenne settlement. She +had, however, vanished. Only the Warning Devil and the young chief who +had taken me prisoner, were visible among the thronging red men who were +watching my departure. The last made a single gesture. It might have +been interpreted to mean one of two things, either-- + +"God speed!" or-- + +"Please the devil! that I may never see you again!" + +I was, at any rate, once more a free man, and had full liberty to wander +where or in what direction I would. + +The chief had given me two guides. As these Indians could not speak a +word of English, I was in one sense of the word companionless. It was +barely some two miles from the Cheyenne village when the wild waste of +the country spread out in an unbroken plain before my view, and I +almost seemed to feel alone in the world. The primal days of Adam seemed +to have settled on the solitary waste. There was no friendly word to +greet our progress, no hostile arm to impede our rushing gallop. Not the +slightest sign of civilization was visible. The enforced taciturnity of +the two Indians made this but the more obvious. + +So, the first day passed. + +On the second, I saw an antelope. The stillness, which had heretofore +been unbroken by anything save the tramp of our animals, our own breath, +or the muttered exclamations of my two guides, was now shattered by the +crack of my rifle. As the antelope fell to the earth, I heard the +guttural exclamations of my guides, in which they gave the expression of +their wonder as well as their gratification. + +It was very certainly a good shot. The antelope had been at long range. +The two Indians had been astonished. + +As they trotted off, to secure the fallen animal, I could not help +feeling that in their eyes, at least, I had in some measure justified +the benevolence towards me of Old Spotted Tail. + +On the third day we struck the Emigrant trail. The night before, we had +encamped in a spot which was as lovely as any I have ever seen. A +running rivulet of deliciously cool water, fledged by green trees and +arched in by the broad blue heaven, which girdles in life on the Plains, +gave us, on its banks, a resting-place. Here, I slept well, and woke in +the morning with a fresh consciousness of the life, vigor, and beauty of +the world. + +Two hours after our start this day, we struck the trail. + +The guides came to a sudden halt, and pointing to the route I had to +continue, abruptly left me. Their characteristic taciturnity had not +deserted them for a single instant. + +During the whole of this day I followed the trail, overtaking and +passing one Emigrant train, from whom, naturally enough, I could learn +nothing of any which had preceded it. On the succeeding morning, I, +however, encountered the Pony Express, and on inquiry learnt that a long +train, with a large number of horses, had been passed by it. This train +had been encamped at Sweet Water, close to Independence Rock, near what +the rider called the old Frenchman's. + +"How far off, is it?" I asked. + +"You may reach them or their halting-place by to-morrow noon," was the +response. + +He evidently did not know the speed of the animal I was mounted on, or +my temper. It was before nine on the following morning, that I arrived +at Captain Crim's halting-place. He had been detained here by a +distemper which had attacked the horses, and possibly, as Brighton Bill +asserted, by a faint hope that I might yet make my re-appearance. + +The first who saw me approaching the camp was Tom Doyle. His wild shout +startled all in the camp. + +"Hillo! Here's Mose." + +The cry was enough. In a few moments, I was surrounded and almost torn +to pieces by the nervous hands which clutched mine. Even Captain Crim +squeezed my fingers with his own stalwart grip, and told me, "how glad +'he' was to see me, whole and safe again." + +After this came question and reply, so fast, that my tongue, silent +during the last two days and a half, literally ached with its answers, +and I was glad enough when the hour for eating came, to which portion of +the antelope I had killed on the preceding day made no despicable +addition, as game had still been scarce with the boys. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + A TEMPEST--THE BRUTE WITH NO RHEUMATIC PITY--AN IMPROMPTU + GALLOWS--HANGING A RASCAL--MY STAGE WARDROBE--UNDER WATER WITH A + WATER-TIGHT WAGON--THE KEG OF WHISKEY--ITS UNFORESEEN RESULTS--A + MOUNTAIN CANNON--NATURAL SODA-WATER--AN INDIAN ATTACK--RAISING MY + FIRST HAIR--TAKING A LESSON FROM THE RED MAN--BRITISH + CRITICISM--THE VALLEY OF A THOUSAND SPRINGS. + + +The rest which had been given the horses partially restored them, and on +the following day the train was again in motion. + +After reaching what is known by the old Emigrants as the last crossing +of the Sweet Water, Captain Crim decided to take a road farther north +than the usual one. He had crossed the plains several times before. +Knowing that the Sublett's route and Headspath Cut-off, as well as the +Salt Lake line of travel, were peculiarly hard upon stock, he determined +this time, to try a track of his own. + +We therefore followed up the Sweet Water, crossing it repeatedly, and at +length passed the Rocky Mountains. Thence we went to Green River. + +This river presented us with great difficulties to find a place for +passing it. The current is, at all times, swift and strong. On this +occasion it was greatly swollen, in consequence of the heavy snows of +the preceding winter, higher in the mountains. After hunting for an +available ford more than half a day, one was at last discovered, and +the horses were brought over without the slightest loss. + +That night, however, we experienced a fearful storm, or rather a +hurricane. + +It was indeed such a tempest as I had never yet experienced. Neither has +it had its parallel since in the whole records of the Storm Bureau +established in Washington. The rain and hail descended in literal sheets +of water and ice. The camp-fires were extinguished by their fury. Tents +were torn down and the wagons containing our stores were flooded. The +lightning blazed incessantly, and the thunder seemed to roll in one +continuous peal. + +Luckily for us, it was not of long duration. In some three hours it had +spent its fury. Yet its effects were felt by some of us, for a length of +time. Poor Pigeon especially was taken down by it with a severe attack +of inflammatory rheumatism. Since his name was first mentioned, it has +not again recurred. However, his sickness here forces him upon my notice +in connection with another member of our party. + +The next morning, all damage having been repaired, the train was again +in motion. + +Having passed the three Tetons, gigantic sentinels projected from the +main range of mountains, we followed a little stream which Crim +christened Pine Creek. Beyond this, we unexpectedly came upon a vast +belt of snow, extending through the Wind River Range. With three +companions, I went over it as far as Salt Creek. It was found to be +completely impassable for the horses, averaging from six to twenty feet +in depth. + +After holding a council, Captain Crim decided upon striking directly +south until we should reach Sublett's Cut-off. Consequently we had to +retrace our steps, and encamped some twenty miles down Pine Creek, for +the purpose of doing that class of reconnoitering which is nothing else +than exploring. + +Here it is, that we have once more to do with Pigeon. + +There was a man who had some interest in a small portion of the stock. +For want of a better and less appropriate name, I may as well call him +Rascall. While delayed in our enforced encampment, some of us were +occupied in grazing the stock. Others were exploring in every direction +for a means of crossing the belt of snow which hedged us in from our +westerly route. Rascall had nothing to do. Poor Pigeon was lying in his +wagon, as helpless from rheumatic pain as the train was in presence of +its blockading impediment. Rascall, having no rheumatic pity, took +advantage of the solitary and forlorn Pigeon, by ordering him out of the +wagon. In vain did the poor devil remonstrate with him. He was utterly +unable to move. Rascall determined upon proving this, and being alone +with Pigeon in the camp, tried the common experiment of brutes, by +thrashing him in the most unmerciful manner possible. + +Like many other brutes, he did this without counting the possible +consequences. + +On the return of the boys to the camp, they heard of this from Pigeon, +who was, from his harmless good temper, a general if somewhat despised +favorite. Naturally enough, their contempt was forgotten in their pity. +They determined upon a queer revenge for his treatment of poor Pigeon. +They, consequently, rigged up an impromptu gallows by joining two wagon +poles together. From this they suspended a full-length portrait of the +offender, although, at first, serious thoughts had been entertained of +suspending himself. + +It would be needless to say that the likeness was scarcely of sufficient +academic correctness to have justified its limner in claiming any +position as a portrait-painter. + +Seeing this, in order to avoid any mistakes, with the artist's +permission, I inscribed beneath it "RASCAL," in very unmistakable +letters. + +Either the portrait or the name had an immediate effect. Captain Crim, +who certainly had an artistic eye for painting or printing, one or both, +as well as an unmistakable love of justice, saw it. He immediately +inquired into the matter, and then visited Pigeon. The poor fellow's +statement was enough. As has been seen, Crim was not a man of many +words, but of very decisive temper. He expelled Rascall from the camp, +and it was only after some four or five days' wandering in its vicinity, +and imploring any of us he chanced to meet for pardon, that on +consultation with his boys the Captain finally allowed him to re-enter +it. + +At length, a way out of our difficulty was found. Through deep gorges +and cañons we reached Lambert Creek, and after following it for some +distance, crossed it, finding ourselves once more in the Green River +region. Thence, striking across a lower range of mountains, we came to +Sublett's Cut-off. + +Shortly after this, above Ham's Fork an accident occurred to one of the +wagons, which, although of slight account to the train, was of serious +moment to myself. + +In passing this stream, the wagon containing, with other property, the +whole of my wardrobe, stage and otherwise, sprung a leak. It should be +mentioned that wagons for crossing the Plains, are, for obvious +reasons, generally made water-tight. Being struck by an undercurrent +which rendered it impossible to move it rapidly, it foundered with all +its contents. Seeing the mishap from the shore, our Captain sung out to +the boys to save whatever of the unlive stock in it they could. However, +without waiting for orders, I and Brighton Bill, whose personal property +had gone under the water with mine, had both rushed to the scene of our +loss, and entering the stream, were hard at work. + +We remained in that wretched Fork for five hours, fishing out of it, as +it seemed, everything but our own property. Necessarily, much besides +this was lost. The infernal undertow of the stream carried all it could +bear with it, away. Not only had it plundered me of my stage-wardrobe, +but of the whole of my wearing apparel, exclusive of that I then stood +upright in. Not even a single shirt was left me. At length, when it was +evident no hope remained of finding it, sulkily angry, wet and chilled +not only to the bone, but to my very marrow, I struggled, with the +well-nigh as miserable Bill, to the farther bank. Here we found Captain +Crim awaiting us. At his side, stood a consolatory keg of whiskey, and +in his hand was the immortal tin-cup, so lovingly identified with daily +life on the Plains, and the early history of our nation upon the Pacific +coast. He was a sagaciously provident leader. Praiseworthily interested +in our health, he supplied both of us with a liberal cupful of the +fortifying elixir. Hungry, as well as cold, for it was now three o'clock +in the afternoon, and I had eaten nothing since morning, I forgot my +usual prudence, and asked him for another cupful of the inspiring fluid. + +"Do you think you can stand it, Mose?" was his far from unnatural +inquiry. + +The whiskey had not yet sufficient time to put an end to the shivering +produced by my protracted cold bath. My teeth were actually chattering +in my head, with a castanet accompaniment to my discomfort. + +"Certainly-a-a-a, I can-n-n-n, Cap!" + +"The cup holds a good half-pint." + +"And I have been-n-n-n in the water ha-a-a-lf a day, Captain!" + +"Very well!" he replied, with a commiserating look at my +drowned-rat-like appearance, "you shall have it." + +He very certainly would never have allowed me to soak so much inwardly, +had it not been for my thorough outward soaking. Nor, indeed, but for my +tribulation under my recent loss, should I have desired such an inward +soaking. As I swallowed the whiskey, I felt my whole frame bursting into +a tingling and generous glow. However, nothing more is remembered by me +until the following morning. + +Then I awoke in Captain Crim's tent. I had been stripped to the skin and +wrapped in a blanket. + +My clothes, now, alas! my only suit, had been removed from my person by +his orders, and dried at a large fire, whose smouldering embers were in +the last stage of inanition without the tent. They were lying beside me. +It was with a somewhat sheepish look, I imagine, that I got into them, +for the Captain was already out and about. What blowing up might be in +store for me from such a rigid disciplinarian as he was, I could +scarcely imagine. + +As I went, or to speak more truly, sneaked out into the sharp morning +air, what was my surprise to hear him say, in a cheery voice: + +"Well, Mose! You are all right now, are you not? To work, my lad! I wish +all my boys were like you and Bill! You worked yesterday, like a couple +of heroes." + +It was an agreeable reception, and so widely different from the one I +had anticipated, that for the moment I forgot my loss. Straightening +myself up, with a modest disclaimer of his praise, I resolved to keep my +intended apology under the lock and key of a silent tongue. + +It was, I think, about noon, some two weeks after this, we reached Bear +River. Following its course until we came to Soda Springs, our camp was +pitched for the night, between them and the silenced volcanic crater +beyond. + +This has been so often described, that to do so again would be a waste +of words. But on a hunting trip some ten miles more or less North, I +discovered another natural curiosity, to which I was the first to call +attention. On entering a small valley, I heard a continuous whizzing and +grumbling noise, which was unlike anything I had before listened to. +Looking around, I saw in the scarped face of an almost perpendicular +mountain a cavity some twenty-five or thirty feet above the level on +which I was standing. From this cavity came a broad and persistent jet +of steam. This evidently caused the sound which had startled me. It was +the result of volcanic action of some description, although I was +scarcely scientific enough, even in a small way, to reason this out. + +Suddenly, without the slightest note of preparation, a huge ball of hot +mud and fragments of stone was projected across the valley from this +opening in the precipice. It was followed by a sharp roar, like the +report from some heavy piece of artillery. + +As I stood watching the orifice from which the jet of steam poured for +some twelve or thirteen minutes, this phenomenon was repeated, and in +something more than an hour I counted some five repetitions of it. + +Farther up the valley, which was about a hundred and fifty yards in +width, according to a rough guess, I came to another curious phenomenon. +Opposite this natural cannon, the valley formed a broad semicircle, and +on the extreme side of this was a tolerably large plateau of hard and +sandy soil, from the summit of which I heard a singular hissing sound. +Hobbling my horse below, I climbed to the summit of this, and my +curiosity was rewarded by the discovery of another freak of Nature. The +summit of the plateau was surrounded with a number of funnel-shaped +apertures, from which water constantly rose and fell again, bubbling and +sparkling like the contents of a soda-water bottle after the cork has +been removed. The taste of this water, which was warm, was, however, +scarcely so agreeable as the temperance beverage to which I have +compared it. + +Slightly behind me, the natural cannon still continued to belch forth +its projectiles from the scarp of the rocky fortalice in which they were +stored. Here, perhaps, were a number of relief-valves which prevented +its destruction by a wider and more devastating explosion. + +There is naturally small marvel that on this day I killed no game. My +time had been too much occupied in the examination of these singular +exhibitions of created oddity, for me to track deer or buffalo, if +indeed any were in the neighborhood. + +For what reason I can scarcely say, the name I gave this place was +Death's Head Valley. It retains it to the present day. + +Our camp was broken up on the next morning, and we continued, in an +almost westerly line, our course. We were advancing into a thickly +inhabited Indian country. From time to time what we believed signals +were given and answered from either side of the train. No Indians were, +however, visible. + +It became clear, when we encamped for the night by Raft River, that if +the natives put in any show at all, it would be a hostile one. + +The result of this was, that after our brief supper was over, Captain +Crim detailed me to make a reconnoissance of the country round our +camping-place. We had long since begun to employ military terms. The +reconnoissance proved him to have been right. Low and partially +smothered Indian fires were detected by me, through the smoke rising +from them, upon every side, and on my report being made, our guards for +the night were doubled. + +Next day, by its events, amply proved the advisability of this +vigilance. + +We had reached the City of Rocks, some seven or eight miles from the +point at which we had crossed the last-mentioned stream. The advanced +guard under me were moving cautiously along, exploring, almost, I had +said, every inch of the road, and occasionally throwing a quick and +marvellous glance at the springing spires, stretching battlements, +cupolas and towers which bore witness to the plentiful imagination of +the great Primal Architect and Supreme Master Mason of the earth, when +we began to discover visible traces of Indian life. Some ten minutes +after, the whole of this strange city of the unliving was literally +blackened by live and threatening red-skins. The word, inappropriate as +it may be to their color, must be pardoned. There was, and consequently +is, no more time to pick phrases than to indulge in any descriptive +power I may possess. + +Giving the alarm, we fell back on the main body of our party. + +Never before had I so much occasion afforded me to admire the natural +nerve and military capacity of our leader, in a position of emergency. + +The wagons of the train were formed in a close circle, with the horses +hobbled inside, so as to prevent the chance of a stampede. + +As for ourselves, we were posted under cover of our improvised +fortification, to await the attack, which was not long before it burst +upon us. + +These preparations had been as speedily made, as the orders had been +readily given. + +They did not take the boys more than ten minutes. Nor had we been any +too rapid in perfecting them. + +A description of the fight would be impossible for me, as I only could +detail that portion of it in which I was bodily concerned. It may be +sufficient to say, that the first pitched battle with the red man, in +which I was concerned, lasted for perhaps some fifteen minutes. The +savages then seemed to have enough of it, and retired in admirable +disorder. The right term would possibly be this--they ran away. + +Dashing out after them, we followed the flying red-skins for some +distance, and I had the satisfaction of raising my first hair, or in the +language of the East, taking my first scalp. + +An Indian, who concealed himself behind a large rock, discharged four +arrows at me almost with the continuous rapidity of the lightning in the +tempest we had so recently experienced. But what might be good for the +goose might be equally good for the gander. Rocks were at a fairly large +discount in that city of them. Taking advantage of one of these, I +seized the opportunity afforded me by an unguarded movement of the enemy +and dropped him with a bullet through his brain. + +Some three more dead Indians lay scattered round the wagons, while only +one of our men had received any hurt. He was an Irishman, who had +received a shot in the right side. It had been made with a ragged ball, +which had torn his flesh frightfully. However, the wound did not prove +fatal. + +The City of Rocks was now quiet enough, and shortly after Captain Crim +gave orders for again starting. + +Very necessarily, we were too fully employed in discussing our first +Indian fight (or more properly perhaps I was, as several of my +companions had crossed the Plains before) to indulge in a prolonged +examination of the quaint, natural architecture through which we were +moving. + +On arriving at sundown near Goose Creek, our captain decided upon an +extended examination of the country round, before entering the cañon. +His reason for this was, that, on two previous occasions, the Indians +had in this locality robbed him of all his horses, leaving him to find +his way to California on foot. Little wisdom exceeds that which is +taught us by past misfortune. At least, I may safely swear that I have +generally found this to be the case. + +Our men were accordingly divided into three parties, of tolerably equal +numbers. + +One had the care of the train and horses. Another had to pass across the +mountains on the right, and the last, those on the left of the cañon. +Crim did me the honor of detailing me in command of the second party, +because his past experience had convinced him this was the side from +which most danger might be expected, and as he was pleased to observe, I +"had not only pluck enough for anything, but plenty of prudence." In the +first part of this compliment, I completely justify his eulogy. The +second portion of it may be subject to more question, especially when my +youth is remembered. + +My party consisted of twenty-eight of the best men connected with the +train, amongst whom were Brighton Bill. + +Some three miles along the side of the cañon we began to move in regular +Indian fashion, singly and as quietly as we could, availing ourselves of +every cover possible. Neither was this one whit too soon. As we crept +over a small hill, we discovered, not more than six hundred yards from +us, a party of red-skins. These were some fifty in number. + +Luckily, perhaps, I had been the first of my party. Dropping as if I had +been picked off by a bullet, I motioned my men to imitate me. + +Then, placing my linger on my lips with a warning movement, we began +crawling to the right, behind a number of huge rocks, and managed to +advance to within some two hundred yards of them, without giving them +the slightest alarm. The red devils were watching the movement of the +train as, below them, it wound slowly up the cañon. More than probably, +if they could count the number of boys we had left with it, they were +congratulating themselves on the way, in which they must have supposed, +they had thinned us out. + +Raising my rifle I took deliberate aim, in which I was imitated by the +rest of my party. Each of us had selected his own man. + +The report of my weapon was followed simultaneously almost by the whole +of those of my fellows, ringing out sharply and clearly. + +As the smoke cleared away immediately after, we saw the whole of the +Indians, who had not been slain, flying at the top of their speed across +the mountain. + +Twenty-three of them were on the ground, dying or dead, of which five +were undoubtedly white men. Brighton Bill gazed upon the dead bodies +reflectively. + +"You're as good as an Injin, Mose!" he said. "But look 'ere. Wouldn't it +'ave been better to give 'em the lead, face to face." + +"D' yer think the skulking beasts would ha' given yer a fair chance?" + +This was said by one of the most silent men, and best shots, who had +enlisted with Captain Crim. + +"That's so, for sartain!" cried one of my boys, with an oath. + +"I jist tell yer, Cap!" said the man who had replied to Brighton Bill, +as he kicked over one of the dead bodies in which a ball had perforated +the skull--probably it was that of the Indian he had drawn a bead on, +"this was a darned square bit of Injin cunning. Yer've shown 'em, two +can play their game. I'm proud to sarve under yer." + +Brighton Bill said no more. + +He was evidently thinking profoundly upon the different style in which +matters were managed in crossing the Plains, to that in which they might +have been, in case of necessity, in his own country. + +On rejoining the train at the head of the cañon, and reporting the +affair to our Captain, he was pleased to say, I had proved the justice +of what he had said, when he appointed me to the command of the party. +The congratulations on my success, however, which I received from my +companions, were considerably warmer and more gratifying. For some +twenty-four hours, I actually found myself promoted by general +acclamation to the position of a hero. A little pluck and caution count +heavily on the Plains. + +Bill, however, did not change his opinions. Although still as warmly as +ever attached to me, he said on the same evening, while sitting round +our camp-fire: + +"I don't care, Mose! It would 'ave been more square to give 'em the +lead, face to face." + +Late on the following day we reached Thousand Spring Valley, where the +head-waters of the Humboldt River take their rise. Here water and game +were good and abundant, and the train remained two days to rest the +stock, while I and some others scoured the adjacent country in quest of +fresh meat. + +A lovelier spot than this valley, it would, perhaps, be impossible to +find in the whole continent, and I could, while I wandered through it, +scarcely avoid reflecting on the change which a hundred, or in all +probability no more than fifty, years might produce here. Then, it will +be thoroughly peopled. Possibly, a great inland city may have been +reared by the bustling and intelligent life of my country. The red man +will have been effaced by the onward march of civilization, or compelled +by sheer necessity to accept a settled life. A Sharp's rifle or a colt +will no longer be possessions of paramount necessity to him who travels +thitherward. The buffalo will have been cleared out from this section of +the States, and an antelope steak will be a rarity. At that period a man +of my, at this time, nomadic instincts will be compelled to search for +fresh ground in which to develop and enjoy them. The interior of Africa +or South America will be the only parts of the world in which he can +follow the life of a wanderer, unchecked and unhindered. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + THE MISTY MORNING--ANOTHER INDIAN SCRIMMAGE--MOUNTAIN-FEVER--NEVER + SAY DIE--A RASCALLY PROCEEDING--MY SIX-SHOOTER AND A + SOMERSAULT--"LO! THE POOR INDIAN!"--HIS LETTER OF INTRODUCTION--THE + ULTIMATE WARMTH OF HIS RECEPTION--NEARLY SQUARING ACCOUNTS--A + RELAPSE--LEFT BEHIND IN HIGHLY DRAMATIC ATTIRE--FIRST RESULTS WITH + NEW ACQUAINTANCES--KINDNESS OF MY CAPTAIN--GREATER KINDNESS OF HIS + FRIEND--BECOMING A GOLD-DIGGER. + + +It was what sailors term a nasty day when we left this valley. A heavy +mist, which was almost rain, veiled the surrounding range of country. +Little beyond the eighth of a mile, in front of us or on either side, +was visible. + +About noon, some of our scouts brought the Captain information that +matters looked squally, ahead of the train. + +In fact, they had discovered some fresh traces of our red enemies. A +halt was at once ordered, and I was despatched ahead with forty of the +men to discover, if possible, what the present danger might be. + +Nothing for some time presenting itself to verify the report Captain +Crim had received, I took a leaf from his book and divided my boys into +two parties. This resulted about half a mile farther in a sharp firing +from the other party, which suddenly ceased, and in a few minutes more +we came across the Indians, who were retreating in good order. Once +more, I turned what I had learnt since I first joined Crim, to good +account. Concealing my men, we astonished them by a round volley, which +sent them off in double-quick time. + +We were once more masters of the situation, and shortly after the train +was again advancing. + +Keeping a careful look-out, in order to prevent an ambush, this evening +we struck Gravelly Ford, on the southern bank of the Humboldt. + +After we had crossed this, I was taken sick with that terrible disease, +emigrants have named the mountain-fever. For the last two days, I had +been feeling somewhat under the weather, with occasional racking pain +and headache. Never having previously known what actual sickness was, +save from the result of accident, I had fancied it was nothing, and +would speedily pass away. But, I was wrong. Unable either to walk or +ride, my companions were obliged to place me in a wagon, and I became an +invalid under the charge of the doctor who had accompanied us. + +Captain Crim was more than kind to me at this time. In fact, he would +not give me up, although the doctor, ignorant of the toughness of my +constitution, actually told him that I was past recovery. + +"We'll never say die, doctor, until we leave him behind us, with a +wooden board at his head." + +It was impossible for me to avoid hearing this, as the observation was +made by Crim at a few yards' distance from the head of the wagon in +which I was stretched. In spite of the pain and thirst from which I was +suffering, as well as my exhausted condition, I could not refrain from a +hollow chuckle, knowing how much life there was yet in my body. At the +same time, I could not but feel grateful to the Captain for his words. +It was clear he did not intend my bones to be cleaned by a stray wolf +or some carrion-devouring bird, whose scent might lead them to my +carcass. + +But I did not know how the villany of one man was watching for the +chance of putting me out of the way. + +My protection of poor Pigeon had made me an enemy in Rascall. He had +heard what the doctor said, and went among the men, some of whom +detested me on the score of the favor the Captain had accorded me, +grumbling over the necessity of carrying "dead-weight!" In this kindly +manner, he had disposed of me before I was fit for burial. + +Through this fellow's instrumentality, I was, when the Captain happened +to be at the head of the train, taken out of the wagon, and placed upon +the earth, wrapped in a couple of blankets, with a small quantity of +water beside me. + +At this time, I was too weak even to utter a feeble remonstrance. + +By a fortuitous circumstance, or I should possibly say a providential +one, Brighton Bill came by shortly afterwards. In his astonishment he +approached and spoke to me. I was utterly unable to make any reply. My +friend--for in spite of his opinion in regard to my manner of settling +accounts with the Indians, he proved himself a true one--hurried on to +the Captain, whom he reached some quarter of an hour afterwards. + +His rage, as well as that of most of my companions, was, as Bill +subsequently told me, frightful. He grew absolutely livid with wrath, +ordering an immediate halt, and coming back himself, to superintend my +removal from my present couch to the wagon Rascall had taken me from. + +"We'd better string this Rascall up, at once. He's a dirty varmint, and +not worth shot or powder." + +This was the expression of opinion of the silent individual, who had +declared his gratification at "sarving under me." It would have been put +in execution, there can be small doubt, if Captain Crim had not chanced +to hear it. Nor, do I think he would deeply have grieved over this way +of settling matters between me and Rascall. However, the position of the +latter with regard to the cattle which has been earlier stated, +prevented Crim's having any ostensible hand in such a condign +punishment. He consequently suppressed this inclination on the part of +my companions, giving the fellow, who for several hours kept out of his +way, a severe reprimand, and adding a significant hint, that should I +chance to recover, it would be well for him if he gave me a wide berth +in future. + +Singularly enough, from the hour in which Rascall had calculated to +leave me behind the train--like a worn-out dog kicked from the door of a +brutal master's dwelling--I began slowly to recover. + +One might have supposed that the lesson he had received, in the way his +conduct had been met with, both by the boys and our Captain, might have +prevented any further exhibition of his dislike to me. However, this was +not so. Some two days after, while I was still too weak to leave the +wagon, he seized the opportunity of its being comparatively alone, to +order me in an insolent manner to-- + +"Get out of it, and walk." + +As I gave him no answer, he jumped into it for the purpose of beating +me, doubtless, as he had formerly treated Pigeon. While his hand was +lifted, however, he found himself covered with my six-shooter. Although +too weak to walk, I was now strong enough to have pulled a trigger, and +he saw I was. + +"You had better get out of this, you infernal scoundrel! unless you +prefer a bullet in your body." + +Low and weak as my voice was, it was determined enough, to rid me of +Rascall's presence. The way in which he vanished was so rapid, that had +I been in a condition for it, one of my old peals of laughter would have +accompanied the somersault with which his retreat from the wagon was +effected. + +We had reached Smoke Creek before I was enabled to rise and crawl, +rather than walk, for the first time through the camp. Here we passed +two days, only relieved by an attempt, on the part of the Indians, to +stampede our stock. It seemed to me as if this attempt had settled the +fact of my recovery. At any rate, I found myself again able to use my +rifle with something of my old vitality. + +Then we passed to Mud Springs, where we again rested for two days, the +feed for the cattle being excellent. + +From this place, our track was one of the meanest ever fashioned by God +or man. Rough fragments of rock, deep gullies, rapid descents, and +almost perpendicular rises, with occasional quagmires and tangled +grease-wood, barred the road. We had to move over the ground with as +great hesitation and caution as a fair dame displayed in navigating +Broadway, during the snows of the last winter. It was possibly in the +very worst part of this diabolical track, that we were confronted, as if +by magic, with a red-skin. + +He made signs of peace, and on being permitted to advance, presented +Captain Crim with a paper from the Indian agent at Pyramid Lake. This +Indian agent, like all the others of the class employed by our +Government, was undoubtedly as little acquainted with the nature of the +red man as any Member of Congress could well be. Phil Sheridan +understands him a good deal better. Well, this document set forth that +the bearer was a good Lo, and friendly disposed, recommending any +emigrant-train who might encounter him, to give him biscuit, bread, +tobacco, or any other such luxuries in their power to bestow. Of course, +I do not vouch for the exact words of this precious paper. + +Our Captain complied with the half-request and half-order, and the Lo +left us. + +Scarcely had we advanced a mile farther, than he appeared again at the +head of our train, in the company of thirty or forty other Los, all +mounted on the regular Indian pony. Let me here say, that a dirtier and +filthier set of red-skins, I never saw. Had the wind set in our +direction, I feel the perfume exhaled from their carcasses would have +been overpowering. Once more displaying the paper he had before shown, +they again commenced begging. More provisions were given them by Crim. +Actually loaded down with bread, corned meat, flour, sugar, and other +dainties adapted to tickle the aboriginal palate, they at last departed. + +"Did you see, Cap!" I asked, "how, the red beggar to the right of the +fellow was eying our horses?" + +"Yes! We shall have a little trouble before long." + +"Good Heavens! Then, why did you give the stinking devils what they +asked for?" + +"You see, Mose, the scoundrels showed me that worthless paper. To be +sure, I might have done what many would, and peppered them at once. It +would have saved us a few hours' time and trouble. However, if we have +to go in for them, there will be some satisfaction in knowing it is +entirely their own fault." + +"Do you not see they have stopped at the turn of the darned track, +Captain?" + +"Yes, Mose, I do." + +"You do not mean to give the thieving vagabonds, anything more?" + +"Certainly I do, Mose." He said this, grimly fingering his rifle in an +ominous manner. "But--" + +"Well, Cap!" + +"Look here. Just leave the vagabond who showed us the agent's dirty +hieroglyphic, to me." + +In another instant, yelling like demons, the Los dashed upon our line. +By accident, it may be presumed, Captain Crim's rifle, with mine and a +dozen others, were discharged; and in five minutes more not a living +red-skin was to be seen, on either side or in front of us. In a country +traversed by a road like this, pursuit was of course vain, although it +was attempted. + +It ought, however, to be here stated that, until this occasion, I never +knew what a capital shot our leader was. He was essentially a modest +man. Nevertheless, his bullet had crushed through the skull of Lo, "the +poor Indian," immediately above his left eye. + +Towards night we pitched our camp at the lower end of Honey Lake Valley, +some three miles from the entrance of Susan River into the lake. +Continuing from this spot for two days, towards the small town of +Susanville, and fording the river with our horses, we turned them out to +graze for the balance of the day. + +It was while seated under a large cottonwood tree, with four or five of +the boys, watching our stock, that I nearly squared accounts with +Rascall. No apparent remains of the mountain-fever forced me to rest in +the wagon at the close of a day's ride, and having crossed the stream +with them, while keeping a watch upon the horses, I was indulging in the +first hour or two's free conversation I had with any of them, for some +time. Suddenly, Brighton Bill, who had hitherto remained silent, looked +up. + +"'Ow was hit, Mose?" + +"How was what?" I inquiringly demanded from him. + +"Why, 'ow was hit that villin Rascall didn't thrash you, as 'e did +Pigeon, when 'e got hinto your wagon?" + +As I was relating a somewhat ludicrously-exaggerated account of the +somersault performed by him, when he saw my six-shooter peeping out from +beneath the covering blanket, Rascall, who had crept up behind the tree +under whose branches we were sitting, roared out with savage vehemence: + +"You're a lying son of a ----" + +No sooner had the blackguardly epithet left his lips, than I was on my +feet. My pistol was at once in my hand, and I fired. + +Fortunately for him, as I did so, Bill struck up my hand, and the ball +passed over his head. The cowardly ruffian took to his heels, very much +as if he fancied the devil himself was after him. + +We afterwards found that he skulked round the town. Nor did he join the +train again until it reached Mountain Meadows. If I can fairly estimate +a man's thoughts by the expression of his face, I should candidly say +that Captain Crim's features betrayed as little pleasure at seeing him +again, as I undoubtedly felt. He had necessarily heard of this +occurrence, although he never in any way alluded to it, when chancing to +speak with me. + +The natural excitement of this affair caused a relapse, and it became +apparent that I must have some positive rest from the wear and tear of +the journey. It was consequently decided that I should remain at Roop's +Ranche, when we reached that place. With great kindness, Brighton Bill +decided upon accompanying me there. + +But at this time, the only suit of clothes I possessed were those I +stood up in, and these had been, by travel, hardship, and exposure, +reduced to so thoroughly a dilapidated condition, that each separate +garment barely held together. In addition to this, they were worn out +both at the knees and elbows. While I was disconsolately thinking of +this, Bill had been occupied in looking through the various wagons. +Suddenly I heard my name pealing joyously from his lips. + +"Hi! Mose. Look 'ere!" + +Yes! It was, unequivocally, a carpet-bag which belonged to me. My +theatrical wardrobe had departed from me. Very probably this precious +waif from my baggage contained all that I needed. Judge what my disgust +must have been, when, on opening it, I drew forth one pair of corduroy +knee-breeches, a scarlet waistcoat, and a long frieze coat. It was +nothing, more nor less, than the complete stage costume of an Irish +peasant, which I now remembered having stowed away in the carpet-bag, +for the sake of packing my more reputable daily clothes where they might +lie flat, without the chance of creasing more than necessary. + +I was too weak to swear, and far too depressed in spirit even to +grumble. These clothes were, at any rate, sound and whole. This was a +point in their favor. So I decided upon wearing them. + +On finding myself at the ranche, I was a decided object of curiosity and +jeering comment to those with whom I was about to make my temporary +home. Having very little money, and being still too weak to work, the +immediate prospect was by no means a cheering one. While I was gazing +round me, Governor Roop came by, and seized with no unnatural wonder at +the unusual clothes of the new inhabitant, paused to question me. Had I +been in good health at the time, it may be presumed that my tongue would +readily have found words. Now, my teeth seemed to stick together, and my +lips could not move. It appeared to me I was like some sailor stranded +upon a strange shore, without any help, among treacherous and jeeringly +inhospitable natives. + +[Illustration: "On finding myself at the ranche, I was a decided object +of curiosity and jeering comment to those with whom I was about to make +my temporary home."--_Page 92._] + +As this thought crossed me, a kindly hand was laid upon my shoulder, and +a cheery voice cried out: + +"My boy! you surely did not think I had forgotten you?" + +It was Captain Crim who spoke. He had ridden into the town for the +express purpose of recommending me to Governor Roop, with whom he was an +old acquaintance. It would be useless, as well as a gross piece of +vanity, were I here to relate all my late leader said of me. It will be +enough to state here, his words were more than enough. The Governor gave +him his ready assurance that I should want for nothing, until my former +health and energy were completely restored. + +Then, turning to me, he bade me follow him. On arriving at the only +hotel in the place, he told the landlord to give me the best room in the +house, and allow me to remain as long as I desired. The account was to +be charged to himself. + +It would be impossible for me to keep my engagement in San Francisco, on +the tenth of the coming September. Indeed, I had requested Captain Crim, +before quitting the train, to explain this to McGuire. As for my dear +little wife, to whom I had written so hopefully from St. Joseph, what +could I now say to her? I dared not write. In spite of Crim's kindness, +and the even greater kindness of the Governor to a perfect stranger, +that afternoon and evening were passed by me in a condition of extreme +depression. + +With the next morning, a happier state of mind came. For the first time +in many weeks, I had slept in a decent bed. It was certainly not a +palatial hotel, yet my breakfast was a better one, as well as more +approximating to civilization, than any I had recently enjoyed. The sun +shone through the curtainless windows in an inspiring way. The movement +of the life around me was different from that which I had recently +experienced. In fact, all, for the time, seemed new. The complete change +had already comparatively reinvigorated me. + +From this moment I began rapidly to recover my health, and in a few +weeks was able to look around for such employment as the place could +afford. + +Nothing available could be found. + +During this period, I had frequently met with miners and conversed with +them. The chances and struggles of their life had a considerable +attraction for me. At last I decided upon "prospecting" for gold. +Success in this appeared to offer me the only possibility I could see +of repaying Governor Roop what I had cost him (his kindness to me it +would be impossible to repay) and leaving the ranche, like an honest +man. After spending some two weeks with little or no success, I, at +length, established what I believed to be a good claim in Light's Cañon. + +Honestly, I may say that I went to work with a will. Fortune, however, +was long in coming. For many weeks, I made merely enough from my claim +to whet my appetite for more. + +Perseverance however generally pays. At last I made more than enough to +pay my debts. A few days after accomplishing this, I had cancelled my +debt to him who had so kindly befriended me. Then, as the winter had +begun somewhat earlier than usual, with many thanks to the Governor, I +located in Susanville, where I decided to remain until the spring. + +The truth is, I had already tasted the keenest excitement I had yet +found in life, because it is the most fluctuating and uncertain. The +chances in gold-prospecting and gold-digging are so variable, that I +defy any young man who has once tempted them, readily to put them from +him. The poor devil who has been at it for months, and gained merely +enough to sustain his existence, may, in a single afternoon, find his +toil munificently rewarded. Like the gambler, he stakes. It is not +money, so much as life and work. A single hour may possibly give him a +thousand-fold the value of that which he, perchance, considers an almost +worthless stake. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + AFTER GOLD--THE PAH-UTE AND WASHO INDIANS--RUNNING OFF + STOCK--PAYING TRIBUTE--THE OATH OF VENGEANCE--SOME SILVER + BULLETS--"KNOWING DEM VELLERS"--AN UNGIRTHED SADDLE--THE UNBALANCED + ACCOUNT--RECRUITING--THE BUCKSKIN RANGERS--A LITTLE BIOGRAPHY--MY + NEW HORSE--A STORM IN THE MOUNTAINS--UNINTENTIONAL FIRING--OUT OF + THE TEMPEST. + + +It is unnecessary for me to detail the events of my campaign for gold +during the following year and a half. At this moment, wealth seemed +within my grasp, and in the next I might be mourning over or cursing my +unrealized hopes. However, in 1857, wearied out with my apparently vain +battle with Fortune, chance called me to another field of adventure. + +There were in that year, all told, very certainly no more than seventy +or seventy-five persons living in the Valley of Honey Lake. Of these, +the larger proportion were engaged in ranching and stock-raising. Among +them, the leading men were, after Governor Roop, Peter Lassen, W. T. C. +Elliott, more familiarly known as Ruff Elliott, the Bass Boys, David +Titherington, Tom Harvey, the Spencers, Captain W. Hill Naileigh, David +Blanchard, Albert Smith, Orlando Streschley, Ed Mulrooney, Laninger, +Storff, Watson, Kingsberry, Doc. Slater, and a few others. + +At this time, the Washo and Pah-ute Indians were in the neighborhood. +Occasionally, they appeared quite friendly, and would do a spell of work +for the settlers, taking provisions in payment for such labor as they +might choose to do. + +No sooner, however, had they a good supply on hand than they would +indulge in their natural propensity for stealing stock, frequently +running off thirty or forty head of cattle at a time. It made no +difference to them whether these were working oxen or milch cows, so +long as they had horns. As none of the settlers were wealthy men, this +unscrupulous appetite for marauding upon their stock was exceedingly +disgusting. Treaty after treaty had been made with the Indians, and were +equally worthless, whenever they had a fair show for stealing cattle +with the chance of escaping retributive justice. + +At length, the matter came to a head. The red robbers had run off nearly +the whole of the stock belonging to a particular friend of mine. The +nearest neighbors held an immediate meeting and determined, if possible, +upon tracking the rascals and bringing them to book. + +Arming ourselves, we started at once in pursuit. Striking their trail, +which was very plain, we continued after them for the best part of two +days. + +In the noon of the second day, discovering that they were pursued, the +Indians resorted to the cowardly expedient of killing the whole of the +cattle. They cut open their sides, and let out their intestines, +afterwards scaling the side of the mountain, to the north-east of the +valley in which we had sighted them. + +It was a lamentably pitiable spectacle to see the poor brutes moaning +their moan of death, with their glazing eyes turned upon those who had +come too late to save them. + +Out of gun-shot, the Pah-utes--for the cruel scoundrels belonged to +this tribe--taunted us in no very heroic style. This was effected by +extending their hands in front of their noses, as well as by a most +expressive and insulting pantomimic slap on a very significant portion +of their bodies. Blackguardism seems confined to no special race or +country. So, at least, it appears to me. + +After a brief council of war, pursuit was decided upon, and we began to +mount the precipice. Harry Arnold was with me, and we managed to delude +the Indians into the belief that they were beyond the range of our +rifles, by letting the few shots we considered it advisable to fire, +fall short of them. This ruse tempted one of them on an eminence at some +distance, to repeat his aggravating gesture. + +"I believe I can pick that scamp off with my old Kentucky rifle, Harry!" + +"He's more than three hundred and fifty yards off, Mose!" + +"I don't think he is." + +"If any man can fetch him, you or I can. It's worth trying." + +He had scarcely concluded when the crack of my rifle was heard. + +The Pah-ute, who had been standing up in a more defiantly noble position +than previously, uttered a loud yell, bounding into the air and rolling +over the edge of the cliff, on to the rocks below. + +His mashed and mangled body furnished me with his scalp. The shot, +however, fair as it was, had been an ill-advised one. Its result was, +that when we reached the bluff on which he had been standing, not +another of the red scoundrels was visible. Nor did any of them show +themselves after this, even at double the distance which had tempted +him to indulge in such an insulting gesticulation. + +On returning home, we found the whole of the valley, or, rather, those +of its inhabitants who had not formed part of our party, in a state of +intense excitement. The Indians had threatened a general massacre of the +whites in it, if they refused immediately to leave it. It may be readily +imagined, the death of the Pah-ute brave was ill-adapted to mollify such +a determination. Under these circumstances, it was decided, should the +affair come to the worst, on giving the red-skins as warm a reception as +was in our power. But, in the meantime, Peter Lassen and one or two of +the older settlers, with Governor Roop, were despatched to Pyramid Lake +to hold a conference with Win-a-muc-ca, the Pah-ute chief, and, if they +could do so, make a treaty with him. + +This was effected. We had to give a certain number of head of cattle, +several thousand pounds of flour, sugar, and tobacco, as well as many +other small articles, in order to remain unmolested. It was neither more +nor less than tribute. + +It is said that years bring wisdom. In any case Age had decided against +an Indian war in the neighborhood of Honey Lake Valley. Youth +necessarily had to submit. + +The demands of this treaty were a severe drain upon the settlement, the +more especially as the winter set in early, with unusual severity. We +were for more than four months shut in from the outer world, not even +being able to reach Indian Valley, where we had been accustomed to have +our wheat ground. It was ground during this time in a coffee-mill, and +being out of coffee, we were compelled to use roasted barley as a +substitute. In addition to this, we had robbed ourselves of blankets to +supply the Indians; and in this comparatively destitute condition, it +was at times a difficult matter to supply the wants of the women and +children. + +Towards the close of the following year the Indians again became +troublesome, until, in 1859, another treaty was patched up with them. + +During this period one of the most popular and estimable men in the +settlement, named Painter, was shot by a party of Pah-utes, who were in +ambush at the head of Surprise Valley. Intelligence of this was brought +us, by two or three companions who had been with him. + +Painter's brother Ben applied to myself and some others to accompany him +and bury the body. When we reached the spot, we found it cut and +mutilated in the most frightful manner. Ben, with the rest of us, +kneeling beside it, took a solemn oath to be avenged, whenever the +opportunity was afforded us. Having then buried the body, we named the +valley Painter's Cañon. It holds this name to the present day. + +In the fall of the same year, a report spread that a man called Foreman +had struck a valuable silver-mine in the vicinity of Black Rock. This +was the same place, in which one of the settlers had discovered a large +lump of silver ore. His name was Harding. Being on a hunting expedition +at the time, and out of lead, he had run it into bullets. + +A tolerable degree of excitement was caused amongst us, by the +confirmation of previous suppositions, we presumed was thus given. But +Black Rock was more than a hundred and twenty miles beyond Susanville, +on the north-west side of Queen's River Desert. Its distance prevented +many from going to prospect the place. However, after two or three days' +talk over the matter, old Pete Lassen, with a man named Clapp, myself, +and two other of the boys, determined upon verifying this report. On the +following day, therefore, striking the old Emigrant Road, and continuing +it as far as Granite Creek, our little party followed the Granite range +of mountains up to Stove-pipe Springs. Thence, we crossed them to the +Black Rock range. On the whole of the way, recently, we had encountered +wandering Indians. They had seemed very friendly. We were, however, in a +section of the country which the red-skins evidently considered their +rightful property. + +The place of encampment this night, selected by Uncle Peter, was very +unfavorably situated. But when I advised him to allow me to select a +more defensible location, on higher ground than that adjoining the small +creek which he had chosen, the old German was obstinate. + +"Tamn it, my poy! Don't you 'spose I know dem vellers. Dey von't hurt +old Pete. You must give dem some crub, my poy! Dat ish all dey vants." + +"That may be, Uncle Peter," I replied; "but I wouldn't trust the last +three or four lots of red devils we have met, out of the range of my +rifle." + +Just at this moment a party of some dozen Indians approached the little +camp, and the peaceful Peter motioning them with his hand, shouted out: + +"Comes t'here!" + +Understanding his inviting action, if not his words, they flocked around +him. The old Dutchman gave them some bread, meat, and tobacco. Before +they left us, he added to these things some powder and caps. + +"A very dangerous gift," as I grumbled out in a low tone of voice. + +When, after having got all they could, they quitted us, I expressed my +wish to Uncle Pete to stand on guard during the night. + +"Don't be a tamned vool!" was his reply. "I dink you ar' scared of dem +Injins. If you vants, go on de hill, and leaff old Pete by himself. I +hafe no vear." + +Irritated by his answer, I blurted out: + +"As you are determined to stay here, Uncle Peter, we'll not leave you." + +But although, shortly after, the rest who were with him followed the old +Dutchman's example, and after a smoke--the usual night-cap of the scout +or trapper, spread out their blankets and prepared for rest, I was +unable to do so. The unerring presentiment, which, without inspiring +terror, tells us to be prepared for danger ahead, kept me on the watch. +It was, therefore, at an early hour I aroused the camp. + +"I'll pet," exclaimed the Dutchman, wrathful at what he considered his +untimely wakening, turning to Clapp, "dat Mose vas not sleep all night." + +"I tell you," was my sharp reply, "we had better get out of this place, +cursed quickly!" + +All of them, the old man excepted, turned out. In spite of Clapp's +remonstrances, he, however, re-rolling himself in his blanket, +petulantly exclaimed: + +"Vell! I shleeps, some more." + +It was scarcely a quarter of an hour after this, when we were fired upon +from the craggy rocks which commanded our position. This volley +slaughtered two of our doomed band. With very pardonable anger, although +I have since regretted this ebullition of temper, I administered a +sharp kick to the form of Uncle Peter, who was rolling out of his +blankets. + +"Get up, at once," I sung out. "I suppose you'll follow my advice, now." + +"Dey von't hurt old Pete," he responded, "so I vill get my plankets." + +Thoroughly out of patience with him, I leaped into my saddle, and it was +none too soon. Another volley took down Clapp, who was just mounting. +Thinking, at last, there might be some danger, the Dutchman made a +spring for Clapp's horse. In consequence of the saddle not being +properly girthed, it slid round with him, and he fell to the ground. +Before he could spring to his feet, the concealed Indians had put two +bullets through his body. Then, quitting their hiding-place, they rushed +upon me. One ball from my rifle settled the foremost of them. With a +vigorous thrust from my heels to the flanks of the horse I was mounted +on, I shook out my bridle and fled, in the midst of a perfect shower of +bullets and arrows. All but one of the last missed me. This inflicted a +scalp-wound, and for a moment I reeled in my saddle. + +Turning immediately after, I once more raised my rifle, and had the +satisfaction of wiping out one more Indian life, as a partial payment +for the four they had taken. + +Fairly out of danger of pursuit, I groaned over the death of Peter +Lassen and my three companions. + +No longer, my anger (the results had amply proved its justice) +reproached him for the obstinate hardihood with which he had so +untowardly ended our silver-hunting expedition. + +Nevertheless, I was in no position to indulge either in wrath or +sorrow. My present course was to be determined on. After a brief counsel +with myself, I decided on continuing my flight through that part of the +country settlers called the Desert. Few trees or rising hills marked +this. Consequently I should here have less chance of risking a second +Indian ambuscade. Indeed, on approaching Granite Creek, surrounding +indications betrayed the presence of red-skins in the neighborhood, and +although in want of water for myself and the animal I was mounted on, I +preferred taking my chances on the comparatively barren plain. + +[Illustration: "The monument erected to Peter Lassen in Honey Lake +Valley."--_Page 103._] + +Providentially, about nightfall I reached a spring. Here I dismounted, +and gave my horse some two hours' rest. + +Remounting, I then continued my way, piloting myself by the stars, as a +fugitive on the Plains has frequently to do, if, as in the present case, +although there was no moon, the night is clear enough to afford such a +series of guide-posts to the wanderer. + +Sunrise brought me to Smoke Creek. After another short rest, I again +pulled out for Susanville. + +The last fifty miles was hard work for the worn-out and jaded animal, +whose enduring bottom had so largely contributed to my escape. + +All in Susanville and around it were struck with horror, when I detailed +the circumstances of the slaughter, from which I was the sole survivor. +A large portion of the prominent settlers, amongst which Governor Roop +was the most influential, coincided with me in denouncing all further +treaties with the treacherous Indians, whether Pah-utes or of any other +tribe. + +However, some who had families, and were not unreasonably apprehensive +for their safety in the event of a continuous struggle, warmly opposed +our views. At this time, they believed that the red-skins around us +numbered some eight or ten thousand. + +In the face of their opposition, with the co-operation of Governor Roop, +I determined upon a plan of action. + +The first man I spoke to about joining me was Harry Arnold. He was a +good shot, and a man of dauntless courage--not knowing what an +impossibility might be. Not only did he consent to work with me, but +gave me invaluable assistance in drawing together such tough and +determined fellows as each of us could rely upon. Amongst these was Ben +Painter, Luther Spencer, David Blanchard, my old friend Brighton Bill, +Butch' Hasbrouck, and a number of others, as good men as ever rammed a +ball down a rifle. In all, on the succeeding day, when we compared +notes, we found twenty-four men had signed the roll, and pledged +themselves to readiness at twenty minutes' notice. Both agreeing these +were enough, we met on the following day in Willow Creek Valley, some +fourteen to sixteen miles north of Susanville, where we completed our +organization. The company was to take the name of the BUCKSKIN RANGERS, +of which I was to be the captain. Harry Arnold and Ben Painter were +chosen as my first and second lieutenants, while every one else was to +act as an orderly sergeant, as well as his own commissary. Our agreement +was that we should all dress in buckskin, at our own expense. Indeed, +every man was to furnish his entire fit-out, complete for active +service. + +It will afterwards be seen, what this active service actually meant. + +The next thing we had to do, was to select our horses. Jack Bird, +settled at the lower end of Honey Lake, owned a large stock. Besides +presenting me with one of his own special favorites, to which he had +given the name of the Tipton Slasher, he contributed to mounting the +Rangers, most liberally. + +The animal he gave me was a dapple iron-gray, partly of Spanish stock, +with fine clean limbs, and of great speed and endurance. When Jack gave +it to me, he said: + +"Look here, Mose! if you ever let a darned red-skin catch you, it will +be when you are not on Tip's back." + +So much for the horse. Now, for myself. + +Here was another change in my life. Circus-rider, pop-corn merchant, +actor, detective, enlisted in an emigrant-train, gold-digger, and +engaged with stock, I was now a ranger, and about to start in a new +avocation. Hitherto, the red men I had come across had been looking +after me and mine. Now, I was about to look after them. + +The wild, dense forest, the gigantic mountains, the untrodden +wilderness, sweeping beneath the sky with its varying swell, the +unbroken waste and desert with the savage dwellers in it, whose crimson +hands were against all civilization and gory with the uncounted murders +of the white man, were now to furnish me with all the delight my nature +could crave from a life of constant excitement. If I thought of my home +and my friends, hundreds upon hundreds of miles away from me, I fear, at +this time, it was with no inconsolable feelings of regret. In truth, I +was about to become the veritable pioneer and protector of the +scarcely-rooted civilization in which my lot had lately been cast. What +chance was there I could over-much think of the past, in the absolute +toil and the positive demand for vital activity of the present? + +I was now about twenty-four years of age. My frame always promising +strength, had become robust and powerful. Nature had gifted me with a +sufficiently good constitution, as well as some considerable amount of +energy. In addition to this, I possessed self-confidence enough to +render me equal to the position in which fortune and adventure had +placed me. + +By the bye, it may be as well for me here to say a few words respecting +Jack Bird, who was commonly called by his acquaintances "the" Captain. + +About fifty-five years of age, and rather above the medium height, he +possessed a powerful frame. Of dark complexion, and with piercing hazel +eyes; he was a Mississipian, or, as he was used to say, he "came from +old Massisip." In a word, a native, as he himself told me, of Arkansas, +he was a splendid specimen of the class of men raised between civilized +life and the extreme frontier of that civilization. Thus he had been +made a backwoodsman by nature and predisposition, as well as necessity. +With an active and energetic mind, he had carved out for himself in this +wild country, a comparative fortune. + +Had he been reared in New York State, he might have grown to the +proportions of a Vanderbilt. + +As, however, he had neither ferries to cross, nor railways to lay out, +he occupied himself in traversing mountains, and in creating +settlements. Not having legislatures to buy up, his restless energy had +occupied itself in the control of savage life. An emigrant to California +in 1849, he had engaged at first in mining. Afterwards, he went into +stock-raising. It had been in 1857 that he settled on the boundaries of +Honey Lake. Here he remained, until the close of the late war. Then, he +decided upon returning for a brief period to his old homestead. He was, +however, doomed never to reach it. Starting overland by stage, he was +slaughtered, with the driver and other of the passengers, by the +Indians, and never reached the place of his birth. He was one of the far +too numerous victims, thrust forward by the restless progress of the +day, in the face of the red savages, who have up to the present time +been sheltered under the protecting ægis of our Government. A nobler, +kinder-hearted, and franker man, perhaps, I have never met with. + +It was somewhat previous to the formation of the Buckskin Rangers, to +whose efficiency he had so largely and liberally contributed, that new +silver-mines had been discovered, near what is now known as Virginia +City, as well as in Gold Hill near Carson City, in Nevada. This +discovery had created considerable excitement, and a large number of +fortune-seekers were already flocking to the mines. The Indians, +however, were quite as active as the searchers after wealth. Scarcely a +day passed which was unmarked by the murder of some poor prospector, in +that vicinity. + +Their scalped remains invariably attested the means by which they had +met their death. + +The red-skins seemed almost as ubiquitous as devils. Wherever they +passed, the trail of blood was left behind them. + +In order to put a stop to their murderous depredations, Major Ormsby, at +that period, well known throughout the country, in the neighborhood of +Carson City, formed a company. Another smaller company, which had +organized in Virginia City, for the same purpose, and already started +out for the Pyramid Mountains, near the Reservation, had also joined +him. Altogether, this party numbered something over one hundred and +fifty men. + +Large as this body was, it was destined to meet with ill-luck, or, +probably, I should give it a much graver name. + +Finding that the Indians had retreated into the mountains, Ormsby +determined on advancing upon them, and driving them from their +stronghold. + +In doing so, he probably counted upon punishing them with a severity, +which should free the neighborhood for some length of time from their +murderous presence. + +Whether it arose from his ignorance of the mode of warfare pursued by +the red-skins, or from his over-confidence in his own numbers, it would +be impossible now to determine. All I know is, that Ormsby's command was +met with a terrific fire, which drove them back. + +Whilst they were in full retreat, their enemies broke from their cover, +and created a thorough panic in their ranks. + +This resulted in a frightful disaster. Out of the hundred and fifty men, +barely nineteen made their escape, the Major himself being among the +slain. + +The news of this terrific slaughter spread from settlement to settlement +in the vicinity, like wildfire. But, previously, having heard of Major +Ormsby's intended movement, the Rangers had decided upon lending him a +helping hand. I had consequently moved with them from Honey Lake, upon +the opposite side of Pyramid Mountains. On our way there, we had picked +up a considerable number of volunteers, and counted some forty-five or +fifty men in all. On reaching the base of the mountains, I found that it +would be impossible to use our horses in any farther advance. We +consequently decided upon leaving our four-footed companions, and I +detailed half a dozen of our party to look after their safety. + +After carefully examining our weapons, we then cautiously commenced +ascending the rocky declivity. + +Scarcely had we counted upon the almost immediate result of this step. +Some three quarters of an hour after, we entered on a heavy mist or fog, +which gradually became thicker and more dense, until it almost felt like +a wet and sodden blanket, actually saturating us to the skin. + +Suddenly, from the midst of this sheet of gloom, burst a spear of +lightning. No! not a spear. It was, or seemed to be, one broad sheet of +flame, which actually enveloped us, for the moment, blinding our eyes, +and rendering us unable to see any of our companions. + +This flash was followed by another and another, with incredible +rapidity, until their scathing glow seemed almost continuous, while the +roll of the unintermittent thunder made the mountain-side tremble +beneath our feet. + +By the first effect of this fearful storm, all our rifles had been +instantly and involuntarily discharged. Stalwart men, who would have +kept their feet in any ordinary commotion of the elements, were +prostrated on the earth. Brave men, who had faced danger of almost every +description, trembled like the veriest children. Their bronzed cheeks +whitened with fear, and when able to stand, their knees quivered under +them with terror. Perhaps none of us expected to escape from that +shroud of living light alive. Very certainly I did not, and am not +ashamed to own, that, in the midst of the rolling thunder, a cry to God +for mercy, which none but the Almighty One Himself could possibly have +heard, broke from my panting lips. + +Possibly, that unpremeditated appeal was listened to. Soon after the +flashes relaxed their continuity, and in its occasional pauses the +thunder might have allowed the voice of any who had spoken to be heard. +Gradually, the tempest passed away, and I heard a rough male voice say: + +"The Lord be thanked!" + +There was, in all probability, not one of us, un-churchgoing and +reckless as we had all for many years been, who did not, within his own +heart, re-echo that solitary thanksgiving. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + SCOUTING AND ITS RESULTS--CAUGHT NAPPING--FRANTIC WITH TERROR--"WHO + HAVE BEEN TRIMMED SO NEATLY"--MY FAT FRIEND IN A + PICKLE--PERSPIRATION AND BULLETS--THE REQUEST TO "SWAP" + TREES--VIRTUE ITS OWN REWARD--HIGH TREASON TO UNCLE SAM--GOING OUT + FOR GAME--AN UNPLEASANT MEETING--THE TUSSLE FOR LIFE--PUTTING AN + END TO AN ORATION--"A TUFF 'UN." + + +Orders were shortly after given to continue the ascent, and in a +sufficiently brief space of time, we had mounted above the belt of dark +clouds, which were now drifting along the mountain-side beneath us, into +a fresh and warm sunshine. + +The revulsion in our feelings was almost instantaneous. Those who had +quaked before, were now inclined to jeer at their own fright. Lips that +had been whitened with terror were now actually laughing. Indeed, I much +doubt whether he, whose involuntary audible piety had announced its +feelings a few moments since, would have thanked any of us for reminding +him of the exclamation. Very certainly, none of us did. We had, at any +rate, the grace, not, in our present security, to scoff at the thanks in +which we had so cordially although quietly participated. + +When we were thoroughly above the heavily wet mass of cloud, we paused +to rest and dry our clothing. + +Then, having examined our weapons and reloaded them, we continued our +progress in the direction in which it was supposed the Indians were to +be found. + +Night at last overtook us, and orders were given for camping. After a +brief sleep of some four hours, with Harry Arnold, Butch' Hasbrouck, and +Brighton Bill, I started out to find the position of the Indians. After +we had moved in almost complete silence for a distance of some three +miles, the faint light of their camp-fires might be seen by us. Touching +Butch' and Bill, I in a whisper ordered both of them to remain where we +then stood, and with Arnold crept quietly in the direction of the dying +embers. Here, in their presumed security, were slumbering the men who +had slain nearly the whole of Major Ormsby's party. + +As yet, we were unaware of this fact, and I had only the knowledge of +old Pete's death, and those of my other three companions, to square with +the red rascals, whether they had any hand in that affair or not. + +In consequence of this, I and Harry took a good survey of their +situation, and, as noiselessly as we had approached it, returned to our +own camp, taking Butch' and Brighton Bill with us, on our way. There we +speedily aroused all the boys, and telling them we had spotted the game, +bade them make ready. The night was clear and cold, although cloudy +overhead, and in five minutes more we were upon our way, with an +imperative injunction, upon my part, of perfect silence. This was +perhaps needless, as few of the Rangers or those who had volunteered +with us were novices in Indian fighting. + +When I had, with Arnold, made my reconnoissance, we had thoroughly +examined the position of the Indian camp. It was placed upon the summit +of a precipice some two hundred and fifty feet in height, which beetled +over a cleft or ravine in the mountain of considerable width. + +On the side which we had approached it, it had been entirely unguarded. + +Had it not been for their defeat of the large party under Major Ormsby +on the preceding day, they would, even in such a position, scarcely have +neglected to keep a watch. + +However, now, from our side of the mountain, they had not any suspicion +of the possibility of an attack. + +But, although unable to count their positive number, Harry Arnold and +myself had seen that they were exceedingly numerous; at the very least, +six or seven times outnumbering our own party. It was, therefore, a +matter of absolute necessity for us, even in taking them by surprise, to +secure every possible advantage of position, in order to counterbalance +this disproportion. To the left of the camp, in the rear of the plateau +occupied by the slumbering red men, the ground rose more precipitously +than it did on the side from which, some three hours earlier, we +approached them. A portion of the boys, under the command of Arnold, was +therefore detailed to this spot, while the remainder crouched under +cover where it, at the time, was. + +After this we waited impatiently for the rapidly coming dawn. This was a +necessity, that we might have sufficient light to catch the sights of +our rifles. We dared not throw away a single shot. + +A long red streak, like a band of flame, colored the eastern horizon +when the Indians began to stir. The first of the unconscious savages had +risen to his feet, when my order rung out sharp and clear: + +"Fire!" + +The red-skin fell, and in an instant all was terror and confusion in the +doomed camp. + +Startled and confused by the sudden volley which was delivered with +slaughterously fatal precision, the scarcely awakened red-skins leapt to +their feet. Then came a volley from the party of Rangers with Harry +Arnold. It was followed by another from mine. I had taken the precaution +of ordering every other man to fire with each discharge, so as to give +the preceding marksmen time to reload. Like clock-work rang out our +deadly rifles, each shot dropping a man. + +Fright had almost maddened the Indians, from the first intimation we had +given them of our presence. Some ran from side to side of the plateau, +looking vainly for a chance to escape. Others attempted to scale the +declivity on which my portion of the boys were posted, and the rocks +above which Harry held his position, in the very face of our fire. A few +stood and endeavored to return us what we were giving them. However, +they were considerably below either party; consequently, their shots +rattled on the rocky sides of either slope short of us. + +Again and again our untiring volleys rang out on the no longer quiet +dawn. + +Then, actually frantic with terror, many of the doomed savages leapt +from the brink of the precipice. Others contrived to scramble over the +broken edge of it, on the precarious and jutting portions of which they +would scarcely, even in mid-day, under other circumstances, have +trodden. In less than probably ten minutes from our first fire, not a +living Indian remained in the camp where they had lately been sleeping. +On examining this--for it would have been useless and, perhaps, +dangerous for us to follow the runaways--we found enough to convince us +that the white men had lately been severely punished. Scalps, +shot-pouches, and carbines, with other tokens, were hurriedly left +behind in their flight, to testify to this. + +"We were not quick enough after the red devils, Mose!" + +Arnold said this, as, with a positively qualmish sensation in my throat, +I was standing upon that stony stretch of level ground which was now +reekingly slippery with blood. + +"We had better leave at once for the place where our horses are." + +"I'd like to know who the whites were the darned scoundrels have trimmed +so neatly?" + +While saying this, he was meditatively turning over two scalps which lay +on the gore-stained rock, beside a motionless red-skin, now as scalpless +as the bodies from which he had taken them. + +"P'raps," ejaculated Brighton Bill, whose feelings had in the last few +years marvellously changed in regard to the legitimate manner of +fighting the red-skins, "they be some o' Hormsby's chaps." + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed Harry. + +"Bill!" I said, "do you think the Major would have been such an idiot as +to get trapped by the red skunks?" + +"Why not? 'E mightn't be h'as thundering cute as you h'are, Cap!" + +Unfortunately, as we soon discovered, my English friend was right in his +supposition. + +The sun had just risen when we started on our return, and before we +reached the place where we had picketed our horses under guard the +preceding day, we fell in with two of the survivors of the ill-fated +party, and learned from them the details of the massacre, for which we +had unwittingly just taken so large and wholesale a vengeance. This +information completely obliterated every trace of compunction, for the +morning's even more wholesale slaughter, which I had previously felt. + +Crossing over to the south side of Honey Lake Valley, we followed it up +to Captain Bird's old ranche. + +After passing it, we found every house and farm empty and stripped of +all that was in any way portable. The whole of the stock had also been +driven off. But for the tramp of our hoofs, this portion of the valley +would have been as silent as a desert. + +"I'd say, Cap!" exclaimed Butch', "the cuss'd red devils had been here, +too--only there are no dead men, laying round promisc'ous like." + +Upon reaching Epstine's Ranche, we discovered the meaning of this. The +owner, Joe, here informed us, the news of Ormsby's death, and that of +most of the men with him, had reached the upper end of the valley on the +day before. A complete terror had seized upon the whole of those then +dwelling in it, and a general stampede had taken place amongst them for +Dr. Slater's Ranche, above what is now the town of Janesville. + +"Howev'r I guess'd I'd wait a bit, and see what turn'd up." + +He was fingering his rifle, as he made the last observation. But on +receiving the information of our retaliation his face brightened, and he +gave utterance to a guttural exclamation of fierce and somewhat +blasphemous delight, to which it will be needless for the pen to do +justice. + +On arriving at the ranche where he had told us his brother settlers had +taken refuge, we found the men hard at work building a regular stockade +around a cabin, which had the year previous been erected for the double +purpose of a school-house and Masonic Hall. In spite of the joy with +which our intelligence was received, they did not however desist from +their labors. And, possibly, they were right, as the Indian troubles +continued, and though the savages refrained from positively besieging +the stockade while the Buckskin Rangers were around, they on one or two +occasions ran off large quantities of the stock. + +During the remainder of the season, we were occupied in a continuous +scouting through this entire section of the country. + +It was during one of our expeditions that Tom Harvey, one of us, was the +subject of a good joke. + +Human nature, in whatever situation it may be placed, has always a +ludicrous side. Commonly, indeed, humor would almost appear to be the +twin-sister of sorrow. They would, indeed, seem to walk through life, +leaning upon each other, and hand in hand, to the very edge of the +grave. The marvellous creations of Shakespeare's genius partake +well-nigh equally of Tragedy and Comedy. Even so was it with the +Buckskin Rangers, and their leader may be pardoned if he presumes to +recall one of those creations (without the remotest hope of rivalling +the intellect he has just called attention to) with the view of +justifying himself. + +"Falstaff" was most undeniably, as he has been drawn by the great +dramatist, a fat man. Wherever fat can be found, the spirit of Fun +almost invariably selects it as the subject or perpetrator of a joke. +Now Tom was a man of enormous dimensions, if not in length, very +certainly in width. Brighton Bill once said of him, that: + +"Hif 'e was 'ammered hout, 'e would be long henough to reach the Nor' +Pole, hand find Sir John Franklin." + +If he had not been slenderer than Tom, I think his scalp, the moment +after Bill had uttered this observation, might very possibly have been +in the possession of Harvey. + +However, this is a digression. + +On one of our numerous scouts we had left our horses, guarded as usual, +and were passing up a small valley, covered with a scattering growth of +diminutive and remarkably lean trees, when some Indians, concealed in a +small grove immediately in front of us, pulled trigger. Luckily their +fire drew no blood. But, as in such cases, it is natural for him who is +the subject of such an unexpected attention to jump behind anything +which may be at hand, to shelter himself, we, each of us, made for the +largest and nearest tree. None of them were sufficiently broad to make +any of us a tolerably good cover. + +In this situation, Tom also made for a tree. + +Its exaggeratedly narrow trunk, merely concealed his head and the centre +of his prodigious frame. Butch', who was nearest to him, could not help +crying out. + +"Look out, Fattee, or we shall only have the middle of yer left." + +"Hold your darned tongue, you infernal fool!" roared out Harvey. + +While saying this he had dodged to the one side of the tree, to escape +an arrow which whistled by the other. With commendable judgment, he lost +no time in leaping to the side he had left. This exertion of agility +saved him from a bullet. + +Butch' had drawn a bead on the head of the red-skin who had fired the +last, and with a yell of agony, he toppled over, struck by the Ranger's +unerring ball. + +"I forgive you, old boy," panted out Tom, as he leapt back once more. + +[Illustration: "'I forgive you, old boy!' panted out Tom, as he leapt +back once more."--_Page 119._] + +This time he was scarcely quick enough, as another ball passed through +the flying portion of his Buckskin upper garment. + +"Why don't yer hide yer fat carcass," sung out Butch' in fierce wrath. +There was no more time for jesting. "If yer don't, we shall have to bury +yer." + +"How can I?" + +As the perspiring Harvey screeched out this amidst a general chorus of +laughter, he took another wild leap, which was not one bit too soon. + +All this had taken place in considerably less time than I have occupied +in recounting it, or I fear all would have been up with the too fat Tom. +The tree which I had been fortunate enough to secure was a fairly large +pine. From behind it, I had the luck of picking off an incautious +red-skin, and was already sighting another, when I heard our fat +companion's voice. He had (how he dared to look round, I never knew) +moaned or rather barked out, in a plaintive way: + +"For God's sake, Mose! swap trees with me." + +The irrepressible scream of laughter with which this pathetic appeal was +received by me, caused my shot to be useless. It missed the Pah-ute I +was aiming at. + +Temporary inability on the part of our boys, from the painfully absurd +position of Harvey, to maintain a continuous fire, now induced the +red-skins to show themselves more boldly. They quickly found the mistake +they had made in doing so. A general although scattering volley +stretched a third of them upon the earth. They then evidently changed +their opinion, and once more getting under cover, rapidly scattered. + +We pursued them a short way, when we were overtaken by the remainder of +our party, which we had left in charge of our animals. + +Remounting them, we again started in pursuit. The red rascals had met, +however, with too warm a reception to wait for any further attention at +our hands. They had cleared out, and made good their escape across the +mountains. + +For many days the luckless Harvey did not hear the last of his offer "to +swap trees" with me. At length, I, who had refrained from cutting any of +the tolerably coarse witticisms which were uttered at his expense, was +obliged to remonstrate warmly with Butch' and Brighton Bill. + +"Yer are right, Cap!" exclaimed the former. "But I sware, it war too +good a joke." + +"Wouldn't it be better to split 'im down, and splice 'is two hends?" + +As Bill said this they both burst into a peal of laughter, loud enough +to be called Homeric, by any but a backwoodsman. They were, however, two +good fellows, for they spoke to the other Rangers, and after this, fat +Tom Harvey was left in peace. How he discovered the hand, I had, in +easing him off, it would be impossible to say, as I never knew. But some +two days afterwards he came up to me and Harry Arnold, as we were riding +along slightly in advance, and said: + +"Mose! you're a darned good fellow, and I'll be blamed if I ever forget +it." + +"What do you mean, Tom?" + +"For stopping the chin-music of them fellows. What on airth else, +should I mean?" + +At the same time, he jerked his thumb across his shoulder in the +direction of the rest of the party, who were at some little distance in +our rear, very significantly. + +"You see, Cap!" exclaimed Harry with a slight chuckle, "what the +copy-book tells us, is right, after all." + +"What are you driving at?" + +"It says, Virtue is its own reward." + +We had retraced our steps, passing Eagle Lake into Willow Creek Valley, +on the far side of the range of hills which divide it from Honey Lake, +until we arrived at the stockade built by the settlers, which has +earlier been alluded to. + +A few days subsequently, we struck into Long Valley, and having crossed +Pea-vine Mountains, reached the Truckee River. Here we encamped, and on +the next morning, following it for some distance, struck across the +hills, towards the Sink of the Carson River. Passing this stream below +Fort Churchill, we continued in a southerly direction until we came to +the Walker River. Near it, we had a little brush with the Walker +Indians, which did not detain us very long. During this, one of our boys +received a slight flesh wound from an arrow. Why these red-skins have +received this name is matter of question, as they are certainly a branch +of the Pah-ute tribe. However, it had been given the savages in this +small portion of the country, and while I was living in that section, of +which it forms part, it stuck to them. + +On the west fork of Walker River, we were met by a company of United +States cavalry. + +The officer in command inquired for our leader, and I presented myself. + +He behaved very courteously in manner, although his orders, given to me +with a degree of imperative sharpness, which was scarcely as courteous +in reality, were by no means agreeable. His instructions were to make +peace with the Indians, and he commanded us to return homewards. If we +would not desist from our present employment, he told us, he should be +obliged to arrest us and take us down to Fort Churchill. These +peremptory orders were unpalatable to the last degree. But what could be +done. He was Uncle Sam's servant in blue-coat, brass buttons, and +shoulder-straps. We were children of the aforesaid Uncle Sam. + +Like obedient boys, although most unwillingly, we concluded, after a +brief hesitation, to bend our steps homewards. + +With a cordial grasp of the hand--for, on finding we had so frankly +accepted the compulsory situation, the officer unbent himself +considerably--I bade him "Farewell," and we silently, for some time, +rode along the course of the stream. The first words I heard +subsequently, were some ten minutes after this. They came from the lips +of Brighton Bill. + +"Huncle Sam his nothing but a blasted hidiot." + +Possibly, I might have been valuing some of his servants at much the +same weight, but I was too good an American to stand such an expression +of opinion from a Britisher. Turning in my saddle, I roared out: + +"None of that. It's high treason. I'll be hanged if I haven't half a +mind to ride after the blue-coats, and hand you over to them." + +When I said this, there was a general laugh, and the whole of us +recovered, in some measure, our good humor. + +After continuing about twenty miles along the road the soldiers had just +traversed, we encamped about two o'clock in the afternoon, turning our +horses out to graze, as there was good pasture in the neighborhood. +Portion of the boys commenced cooking. Butch', having a somewhat more +dainty tooth in his head on this occasion than usual, felt it crave for +fresh meat, and said to me: + +"'Spose I go out, and kill yer something to eat." + +"All right," was my answer. "You may find a Jack or two," meaning a Jack +rabbit, "down the valley. I'll go up the cañon, and see whether I can't +find some grouse." + +Saying this, I had pointed to a small cañon on one side, stretching +irregularly from the vicinity of our camping ground. At the same +instant, Brighton Bill, who had been stretched on the cool turf with his +eyes closed, leapt to his feet. + +"You're hawful smart, hain't you, Mose? Hi'll 'ave some hof that fun +myself. If hi don't, blow me." + +He, however, thought fit to try another cañon to the left. + +For the first time since I had been an inhabitant of the Plains, I +neglected to arm myself, as I had constantly been accustomed to, when +scouting. The good servants of Uncle Sam, whom we had met earlier in the +day, had travelled up the road. Of course they had sharp eyes. Besides, +if the red-skins had seen them, they would certainly have got out of +their way as quickly as possible. How should they know our Uncle wanted +to be theirs, too? Peace would be the very last thing they thought of, +when they set eyes upon his uniform. So, thinking there could be no +danger, I placed my sheath-knife in my belt, and taking my Kentucky +rifle with me, started. + +Walking carelessly up the cañon, now examining the trees for game, then +scaling the declivity to the right, or pushing through the chapparal and +the heavy timber, I had wandered on, for more than an hour. + +Suddenly, in one of the thick and tangled clumps of chapparal, I fancied +I heard the familiar note of one of the birds I was in search of. At +once, I stopped to listen. + +While standing there silent and motionless, it could scarcely have been +more than fifty seconds, I heard a noise almost immediately behind. +Instinct or experience, one or both, told me what that sound was. The +red-skins had not been so scared by the advance of Uncle Sam's servants, +as necessarily to refrain from a dash for one of his children, if the +chance was given them. I felt the chance was now. + +Turning immediately, I had barely time to see two Indians. + +In another instant, before I could lift my gun to my shoulder, one of +them had bounded towards me and wrenched it from my grasp, while the +other sprung at me with the evident intention of clinching me. If I had +then the time to think, I fear, loyal American as I might be, my +thoughts might have corroborated Brighton Bill's opinions touching the +sanity of Uncle Sam. Fortunately, I had no time to become critically +disloyal. My hunting-knife had been drawn, and at the very moment when +his hot and vindictively fierce breath came searingly to my face, was +buried to the very hilt in his heart. + +As he fell, the other of my assailants, with my own rifle clubbed, +struck me a heavy blow upon the shoulder. It nearly felled me to the +earth. + +Then, dropping the weapon, he sprang upon me, making a desperate clutch +for the hand in which my knife was grasped. As he seized my wrist, I +threw the knife from me as far as I could, and grappled with him. He +attempted to draw his own. I, however, had grasped him by a peculiarly +tender portion of his person, which modesty prevents me from naming. The +pain of this prevented his using his knife, and in the contest we both +fell on the sloping side of the cañon, clinched together firmly. + +Now, commenced the struggle for life. + +Rolling over and over, now on the short turf, and again amidst the dense +and tangled chapparal--at one moment the red-skin would be above me, and +in the next I would be stretched on his writhing body. Whenever I got +the chance, and one of my hands free, I would seize a handful of sand, +if it was within reach, and thrust it in the mouth and eyes of the +Indian. + +He was not slow in taking the lesson I gave him. He began to follow +suit. + +After rolling down the side of the cañon for some hundred yards or more, +panting with the desperate struggle, he opened his mouth to gasp for +breath. At the time I was above him, and grasping a handful of sand, I +forced it into his gaping mouth. + +[Illustration: "He opened his mouth to gasp for breath; I was above him, +and grasping a handful of sand, I forced it into his gaping +mouth."--_Page 125._] + +It had its effect. Literally choking with the enforced dose, he loosened +me. At the same time, he violently threw up his hands, as a man might do +in the agony of strangulation. + +Then, with a supreme effort, I groped for his knife. Having found it, I +drew it from its sheath, and, at last, the terrible struggle which had +been forced upon me was over. + +When, at occasional times, I recall it now, it seems to my recollection +as if that brief contest for existence had nearly maddened me. Scarcely +did I appear to possess consciousness of any of my actions. And yet, I +know that I inflicted on him some fifteen to twenty wounds, any one of +which might or must have been a fatal one. + +As I found myself once more upon my feet, it was a tolerably difficult +matter for me to realize that I was still living. + +While engaged in attempting to do so, the whole landscape seemed to +quiver vaguely under my fading eyes. Its lines and colors fairly danced +before me. I felt that I was falling, and everything around settled into +a dense blackness. + +I knew no more. + +On, after some time, recovering my senses, I found that I was lying by +the side of the Indian, literally drenched with the blood flowing from +his wounds. Sitting up, after a few minutes, I was enabled to recall my +lagging senses and realize the struggle I had gone through. Yes! there +it lay, stark and motionless in the shadow thrown across it from the +rocky side of the cañon, by the sun which was now far beneath it. As for +the corpse beside me, it was stabbed and hacked in a frightful manner. +But for the fearful strife I had been engaged in with it, when living, +and the danger I had, as it seemed to me, so unaccountably escaped, I +should positively have sickened at the sight. The memory of this strung +my nerves once more to endurance, although my garments were dripping +with its blood, and absolutely soaked through with my own sweat. + +Staggering to my feet, I re-collected my senses, which had, for a short +space, again wandered. Then, with some difficulty, I again ascended the +rough hill, until I reached the space on which the first Indian, I had +made an end of, was lying. His teeth were forced together--his eyes +staring unconsciously up to the blue sky. My knife was at some distance +from the spot. The rifle was close to him. Its barrel was bent and its +stock broken with the heavy blow I had received. + +Let me squarely own that never, either before or since, have I raised +the hair of any Indian, with a more secure feeling of angry joy than I +felt in taking those two scalps. + +I had now to return. + +The position of the sun, low beneath the western summit of the cañon, +testified to the fact that some two hours must have elapsed since the +two Pah-utes had leapt upon me. + +Slowly, and with great difficulty, I commenced my way towards the camp. +While looking on the scene of my danger, I had been kept up by the +remains of the excitement I had experienced. I had felt no pain, and +been unconscious of fatigue. Now, my dead enemies lay unconsciously on +the earth. The exhaustion consequent on my fierce struggle for life, and +the suffering from the blow upon my shoulder, became apparent to me. +Scarcely, was I able to walk. Frequently was I obliged to lean on a +jutting boulder of rock, or steady myself for a minute or two against +the trunk of a tree, before I could again persistently renew my +progress. Not yet had I reached the mouth of the cañon, when some of +the boys met me. + +It seemed that Butch' and Brighton Bill had long since returned, and, +although scarcely alarmed, had grown in some slight degree uneasy at my +not putting in an appearance. Consequently, with some of the others, +they had come out to seek for me. + +No sooner was I seen by them, than they shouted out to me. My lips +strove to frame a shout in reply. But even to myself, my voice sounded a +long way off. It was so faint and low that they did not hear a word. + +Rushing towards me, Bill cried out: + +"What his the matter, Mose?" + +Butch' demanded: + +"Have yer got any game?" + +The only answer I could give them was to hold out the two scalps I had +taken. + +Startled by this and my struggling silence, for they knew I was +attempting to speak, they looked at my dress, and in spite of the fading +light, saw its torn and dilapidated condition, and the blood with which +it was smeared and streaked almost in every part. Bill gave a groan, and +said: + +"Get Mose to the camp, Butch'! Hi'll go hand look hafter 'is rifle, +before some hother thieving Hingin cusses find hit." + +In an another instant Ben Painter had lifted me, and throwing me, gently +enough, although it caused me frightful suffering in my shoulder, across +his own, strode down the cañon. Indeed, so great was the pain from the +merciless blow I had received, that I remember little beside it, until I +found myself sitting on the ground, leaning against Painter's knee. The +whole of the upper portion of my dress had been stripped off, while +Butch' was bathing the black and swollen flesh which had been struck +with the clubbed rifle. How it happened that no bones were broken by it, +is, even now, a marvel to me. + +When they found me again able to speak, the boys began to ply me with +questions. But while I was answering them, Brighton Bill appeared on the +scene. + +His search of the ground on which I had run such a risk of being +completely chawed up, must have been a pretty thorough one. He brought +in, not only two rifles, but two United States blankets, several +unopened boxes of caps, two cans of powder, and, in addition to these, a +small keg of Uncle Sam's whiskey. This had already been opened, and may +possibly account for the red rascals having forgotten the reason for +which they had so liberally partaken of his bounty. + +The whiskey was a veritable God-send, for we were out of the article. A +tincupful (this time I did not ask for a second before eating) did more +to put me to rights, and enable me to forget my pain, than the care +which the Rangers had been bestowing on me. + +"If ever there was a good Samaritan, Bill, you are one." + +Let me here record the fact that Bill knew nothing about Samaritans, for +good or evil. Nor, indeed, am I inclined to think, had any of the others +a very correct idea of my meaning. Even the teaching of a New England +Sunday-school had been forgotten, as I deeply regret being obliged to +say one of the boys hailed from the classically Methodist locality of +New Bedford. + +But, if Brighton Bill was not well versed in Scripture, he displayed +himself this evening in a new light--that of an orator. No sooner had he +served round the whiskey which he had captured from the already +slaughtered enemy, than he produced from one of the blankets in which he +had wrapped it, my twisted and broken rifle. + +"Jist look 'ere, boys," he said, "hat the popper of hour Cap. This h'is +the harticle with which 'e smashed ha couple of Hingins. Hi'm blowed +h'if you didn't, Mose! H'it's no huse 'iding your light hunder a bushel, +when H'i 'ave the hevidence in my hown 'and, and show hit." Here I +endeavored to put in a word, but it was drowned in the general applause, +and seizing on the instant of its cessation, he continued: "H'if you 'ad +only seen those blarsted Hingins. Wun of 'em stood seven an a 'alf foot +'igh in 'is stocking-feet, and the h'other--" + +I could no longer refrain, but cried out: + +"It's quite clear who tapped the whiskey keg, before we had a chance of +looking at it." + +The Britisher gazed in pathetic wonder on his partially maimed leader, +as he heard this ungenerous insinuation against his sobriety. Then with +a sadly melancholy smile, he said: + +"H'i forgive you, Cap! But, may H'i be blamed if you harn't a tuff 'un." + +That night, guard being kept by Butch' and Ben Painter, I slept well and +soundly. On the next morning I was up by daylight, and we returned to +Honey Lake through Carson City. + +When we arrived there it was to hear that another treaty had actually +been made with the Indians. Once more they were to be allowed to +re-enter the valley. The settlers were to resume possession of their +ranches, and what stock was left on them, or could be found. How long it +would continue, the Devil and the red men themselves, only, could form +an opinion. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + THE PICK, PAN, AND SHOVEL--SOMEWHAT DOWN IN THE MOUTH--"ROPING IN A + GREENEY"--THE SHREWD YANKEE--A SQUARE MEAL, AND A BAD ONE--NO + GOLD--NEARLY AT STARVATION POINT--THE ELK, AND HOW LONG IT + LASTED--MOUNTAIN MEAT--CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS--MY EXPERIENCE OF + THE STAKE--CONVERTED INTO A CANDLESTICK--THE CRACK OF A DOZEN + RIFLES. + + +In something less than two weeks, my shoulder was completely well, and +the enforced inactivity had made me restless. + +At this time, the vast treasures of gold said to be awaiting the miner +in British Columbia, near Frazer's River, created great excitement +through the West. The fever of this excitement was like all such +fevers--contagious among the idle. Having then nothing to do, I caught +it. In an informal meeting with several of the Rangers, I proposed to +them that we should visit the new land of promise. As they were willing +to accompany me, a full meeting was summoned. At this it was unanimously +determined that the journey should be undertaken, if we could make it by +land. + +After some few days spent in the necessary inquiries, it was finally +decided we should start for the recently discovered locality, where +fortunes were believed to be awaiting the pick, pan, and shovel--as +speedily as we could make due preparation for doing so. + +This did not take any very great length of time. In less than a week the +whole of us were in readiness. And after a kindly, and, in some cases, +more than kindly, farewell to our friends in Susanville and round Honey +Lake, we put ourselves on the road to the new locality. + +The natural rush and active whirl of my life during the last few years, +had, by this, almost deadened my memory for those friends I had left in +the East. He, who is from day to day almost carrying his life in his +hand, has not overmuch time or wish for reflection. Occasionally, I +would think of my wife and my other relatives. But I had not yet made +enough, really to contemplate returning to them. Young still, it +appeared to me that there were yet days and years sufficient before me, +to dismiss all such dreams for, at any rate, the present. + +In fact, as I have earlier said, I relished the constant change and dash +of the life I had entered on. + +It was no use disguising it, my nature was, in every respect, a +vagrantly instinctive one, full of vaguely wild hope, it is true, yet +mingled with an almost profound indifference to what the future chance +might be. + +Nevertheless, on the night before we had determined upon commencing our +arduous journey, I could not help feeling somewhat down in the mouth. It +was with a rare and scant attack of homesickness, which, however, passed +away from me on the next morning, almost as soon as I found myself in +the saddle. + +It would be unnecessary for me to catalogue the various points we +touched, through our course, in the fashion of a guide-book. This, the +more especially as nothing of great interest occurred on the way, until, +in due time, we struck Frazer's River, near Fort Hope. + +Here we remained for a few days, in order to give our animals the rest +they needed. They had done us good service. + +In this place, we found that the hunger for gold was drawing men of the +same nature as ourselves, to the last-discovered Eldorado, from every +part of the country. Young men who wished to grow wealthy without +patient toil, and men more advanced in years, whose days of labor had as +yet profited them little, with an occasional "rough" from one of the +larger cities, whose reputation forced him into a new country, or the +gambler, whose practice in "stocking the cards" or "roping in a +greeney," had become too well known. Some few came also, whose talents +should have enabled them to do battle with the world successfully, in +any location they had chosen. Their reasons for seeking Frazer's River +were, however, kept to themselves. None of my companions had sufficient +time on his hands, or enough curiosity, to seek to draw the veil from +the past life of any of them. + +There were, however, some few who had tried the mines and were +returning. Want of patience or want of luck, one, or, it may be +possible, both of these had conjointly made them unsuccessful. + +With neither gold in their pockets nor grub in their packs, these men +were for the most part dead-broke, and heaped their imprecations on the +country they were quitting in vigorously round terms. Nor could it be +said, that granting their ill-fortune might somewhat have colored their +opinions, these were too flattering. + +One of these whom we met with, was a stalwart specimen of the shrewd +Yank. I and Ben Painter had encountered him, wandering round in a +disconsolately drifting manner, and with a hungrily wolfish look on his +lean jaws, which inspired us with a degree of sympathy. Moreover, we +were mentally "prospecting" the yet unseen diggings. The information he +could give us, might be valuable. So, although provisions were already +scarce, and even coffee a luxury, we asked him into the camp to share +our evening meal, which, to tell the truth, was by no means too +plentiful. After feeding, he honored us by saying: + +"'Tarnation bad as yer supper is, it is the first square meal I've eat, +for three days." + +"How war that?" Butch' asked. + +"Yer see, in the mines there war nothing to get for love or money. And +here, I guess, there's darned little love unless yer can buy it." + +"We heard that, up here, you had only to turn a shovel to find gold." + +"And b'lieved it, as I did," he quietly growled out. + +"Yer don't mean to say there are none," ejaculated Ben. + +"I guess yer won't do more than any o' the rest on us." + +"But, some must have had a fair share of success," I said. + +"Why d'yer think so, Captain?" he drawled out, nasally. + +"From the row about the diggings that has been made through the whole of +the West." + +"Well, I'll tell yer. I was one of the first that come out here, from +Kalifornee. I'd been duing a smartish bit of business down thar. But I +tell yer, the dollars didn't come in fast enough. Than, I heerd of this +darned place, and thought I'd strike for it and find 'ile, sure. So, I +made up a good kit o' things to last me two months, and sit out. Darn +the diggings. I've been at work thar, more nor three months, and here I +am at the first square meal I've sot down tu for three days, as I told +yer before, and a darned bad one, too, as I said when I finished it." + +"Then you don't believe there is much gold in this part of the country?" + +"Thar may be, Captain!" + +"What do yer mean, then?" inquired Ben Painter. + +"I found none," drawled out the Yank as he slowly rose, "and by the +'Tarnal! I nev'r met one as has." + +The groan that issued from the bottom of Brighton Bill's stomach, would, +at any other time than this, have provoked mirth. It did not, however, +do so now. The matter was far too serious for laughter. + +If the disgusted Yankee had told us the truth, it was evidently no use +for us to help thicken the crowd of deluded seekers for gold, thronging +to the diggings. Provisions, as I have earlier said, were scarce. They +were consequently dear. Our own stock had for several days been running +low. What was to be done? + +More inquiries were made by us. The replies, although varying in degree, +were all of them confirmatory, more or less, of the Yankee's opinion. + +After a brief council of war, the Rangers, therefore, decided upon +striking once more for Puget Sound, in search of game. If we found it, +we would kill enough for us to take our return-trail. Game, however, was +scarcer in that locality than we had found gold to be in the +neighborhood of Frazer's River. We had to betake ourselves to digging; +not in the soil for the precious metal, but in the sand on the shore of +the Sound for clams and mussels. Even these were rarely found by us. In +short, the Rangers and their leader were reduced to the very verge of +starvation. Nor did we run any risk of meeting any charitable person +who might have the means of giving us "one square meal," even if it were +"a darned bad one." + +In this strait, it was resolved on to start for the mountains, and take +the chance of killing or being killed, to save us from dying by hunger. + +Here, for the first two days, we met with scarcely anything. About noon +on the third, I and Arnold were standing together. During the whole +morning we had found no game, and were gazing around us with that sense +of discomfort a continuously empty stomach is certain to produce in +humanity, when we heard a shot in the distance. It was to the right of +us. Almost immediately it was followed by another. As the two puffs of +smoke drifted above the stunted pines which covered the unequally rough +ground in that direction, I heard a sound which, faintly as it came to +us, I immediately recognized, from the use of it by Brighton Bill. It +was what he called: + +"A 'onest British cheer." + +"You know the voice, Mose?" + +"Yes! Let's break for it." + +We accordingly "broke" in its direction. Three more of the boys had +already joined him and Ben Painter by the time we had arrived there. The +two first mentioned had met with the good fortune of spotting a huge +elk. The animal had been killed, and while still warm, the men were +engaged in skinning him. + +A fire was quickly kindled, and, by the time, portion of the elk was +ready for our ravenous appetites, the remainder of the Rangers entered +their names as partners in the welcome feast. For, that it was right +welcome, my present remembrance of it unmistakably assures me. + +Stopping here until we had jerked most of the meat on the elk's large +carcass, we again started on our journey back. + +Having travelled in an easterly course through a magnificently wooded +country, we reached the Columbia River, near Fort Okimakane, and passing +down it through the territory occupied by the Flat-head tribe of +Indians, arrived at the Walla-Walla. Thence we crossed the Blue +Mountains; and, after several days' more travelling through the rocky +wilderness and broken cañons, arrived at the Owyhee, which, some +distance higher up, we crossed and continued over the range of hills by +the side of this stream, until we at length reached Surprise Valley. + +We camped in this spot for two weeks, for the purpose of recruiting our +horses and hunting up game. The jerked elk-flesh was already very nearly +brought to an end. + +It was, while we were in this neighborhood, that I met with an adventure +which very nearly ended this volume before I had even written a page of +it, if I may be pardoned the Irishism of this expression. But, for the +opportune arrival of the Buckskin Rangers, my life would very certainly +not have been worth an empty powder-can. + +Early one sharply fresh morning, I had left the camp in the direction of +High Rock Cañon. This was at a distance of some ten miles. + +While upon my way, perhaps some six miles or more, I saw a +mountain-sheep. Having a liking for wild mutton, I cautiously crept +round the cliff upon which he was standing, to get a fair shot at him. +At length reaching a spot from which I might consider myself fairly sure +of the meat, I fired. + +The shot told, and the animal fell. + +However, instead of dropping where he stood, and where I could not +inconveniently have become possessor of the toothsome flesh, the +perverse sheep preferred rolling down the cliff. + +Well! It would be some more trouble, but I could easily get him. I +therefore went round to the base of the cliff. On arriving there, I +could not help swearing a most ungodly oath. That wretched lump of +mountain-meat had chosen to remain some half-way from the bottom on +which I was, and the top of the precipice, on which he had been +standing. + +My readers may already have been enabled to give me credit for what I +consider my resolution, although some of my good friends have not +unoccasionally denominated it obstinacy. + +It came very decidedly into play, upon this occasion. + +I was determined not to be balked in my love for mountain-mutton. In +accordance with my resolve, I prepared to climb after it. The face of +the cliff was so steep and rugged that, in order to have the use of both +my hands, I was compelled to relinquish my rifle. Therefore, depositing +it where I stood, I commenced the ascent. Being a good climber, I +naturally thought I should have no more difficulty than that which +generally attends such an operation. Neither, had I. After reaching the +jutting point upon which my mutton had so pertinaciously lodged, I +dislodged it, and sent it down the rough precipice. It was now time to +think of myself regaining the base of the cliff, in a less rapid mode. +But, to descend was no child's play. Now I could not find the footing +which I remembered previously having. Consequently, I was obliged to +wriggle my body to one side or the other, in order to find a place to +rest on. Afterwards, the rock would crumble under me, or fragments upon +which my feet were resting would slip out of their bedding. Moreover, my +sight was utterly useless. I had to depend upon the trained sense of +feeling in my moccasined toes. Having covered some space of the face of +the cliff, I began to find I was not descending it in the same direction +in which I had ascended it. The cliff was sloping inwards. Again I had +to climb and try a new line. This was apparently somewhat better. +However, placing my feet upon the roots of a sage-bush, I was incautious +enough to trust my whole weight to it. + +It tore out from the face of the cliff. + +When I felt it giving way, I threw out my hands to grasp at some +support. + +While falling, all the errors and faults I had committed, seemed to rush +across my mind. Why it was, I know not, but the star-like eyes of +Clo-ke-ta blazed upon my memory. + +Then I struck the rocky ground beneath me, and, for the time, remembered +no more. + +Upon coming to my senses, I found that my hands were bound behind me. + +Looking with scarcely conscious anger around, I saw several red-skins. + +These, I presume, had been watching me, amusing themselves with my +desperate efforts to descend the cliff, and calculating upon trapping me +when I reached its foot. + +No sooner had I seen them than the positive danger restored my senses. + +Resistance was, however, useless. Raising me to my feet, they commenced +driving me down the valley. Deliberately, I say, "driving." Nor was this +driving done by any means in a merciful fashion. It was effected with +heavy blows and sharp sticks, which were aimed at and thrust into my +ribs and sides, with no pity. + +For the moment, however, I was unconscious of this. + +The red devils were going straight in the direction of our camp. Great +God! If they only did not pause until they arrived there. + +This was a futile hope. + +They paused about two miles and a half from the place where my boys +were. With a vain effort at being heard, I gave vent to a loud shout. A +burly Indian struck me heavily across the mouth to silence what he haply +considered my bravado. "I was a white brave, and I knew that I must +die." It was natural red-skin reasoning. + +Then spitting in my face, he spoke briefly in their guttural tongue, and +in a few moments more I had been stripped of all my clothing, and +compelled to stand with my feet about twenty inches apart. Stakes were +driven into the earth by the side of these, to which my legs were +tightly lashed. Then, planting in the ground other stakes at a short +distance, my arms were extended at full length, and bound to them. A +cord around my neck was fastened to another stake in my rear. In +addition to this, two sharpened stakes were planted directly under my +arm-pits. It was thus rendered almost impossible for me, even to stir. + +No sooner had this been effected, than the entertainment, for such they +evidently considered it, commenced. + +The _Mahalas_ or squaws had been pointing splinters of grease-wood, +about three inches in length. As the braves danced round me, whooping, +yelling, or singing one of their wild war-songs, the squaws would strike +the pointed splinters into my flesh and leave them sticking in it. After +somewhat wearying of their share in this cheerful pandemonium, the +braves would squat upon the earth and rest, while their squaws subjected +me to more horrible torture than the mind of the white could conceive +without personal experience. Human excrement was thrust in my face, and +rubbed over my mouth. When they would pause awhile, it seemed as if they +were only trying to invent some more disgusting and possibly more +painful mode of torture. + +[Illustration: "The braves would squat upon the earth and rest, while +their squaws subjected me to more horrible tortures than the mind could +conceive without personal experience."--_Page 141._] + +But what is the use of prolonging such a recital? + +This infernal orgy was kept up until night set in, when the climax of +their devilish fury was capped by their taking burning brands from the +fires which had been kindled, and igniting the splinters of grease-wood +which they had thrust in my body. + +It is absolutely impossible by mere words to convey any idea of even the +tenth part of the agony which this caused me. Ten thousand needles, +red-hot, seemed to be piercing my flesh and stabbing me in every part of +my body with their lancing flame. + +Up to this moment, I had not abandoned all hope. + +Perhaps, the boys might come up in time to save me. + +In my now maddening suffering, I actually prayed that it might end. +Heaping every species of opprobrium on the red demons, that I could, in +my own tongue, I added to them such galling Indian terms as I had been +able to pick up during my life in the West. These were not +over-numerous, but they would have been more than sufficient to have +inspired the incarnate devils with a greater fury, and, in a few moments +more, I should have been quit of all the trouble and suffering of the +world in which I had been a dweller. + +As this desire was surging incontrollably above my bodily agony, I heard +the crack of a dozen rifles. + +The same number of the Indians dropped in the very places on which they +had been sitting or standing, and I knew that I was saved. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + BETWEEN TORTURE AND SAFETY--THE VALUE OF POPULARITY--UNCLE SAM'S + BLUE-COATS--A TRAPPING EXPEDITION--IN FOR IT--THE CAPTURE OF MY + FIRST PET GRIZZLY--SKINNING AND CARVING--"PROSPECTING" FOR + SILVER--A LIVING BLANKET--DARKNESS AND THE SURPRISE--CARRIED OFF AS + A CAPTIVE--OUT OF THE THONGS--THE BUTT AND THE MUZZLE--WHO IS THE + REAL HERO? + + +It seemed, that when I had not returned to the camp by dusk, the boys +had begun to be somewhat uneasy on account of my prolonged absence. +Butch' Hasbrouck then volunteered to hunt me up. Ben Painter was the +only one with him. Although uneasy, none of them really believed I was +in a serious difficulty. If they had, as Butch' subsequently said, when, +some weeks later, talking the matter over with me, they would have had +me "out of the tight place I war in, a good hour sooner." + +It was not long ere they heard the noise made by the howling and yelling +devils. + +"There war something up," as Painter whispered to Butch'. + +Then they crept nearer. + +On discovering the light of the camp-fires, and recognizing through the +trees the forms of the red-skins moving rapidly amongst them, they +instantaneously concluded that I had been killed, and that the savages +were celebrating the event in their own fashion. "By sheer luck," as +Painter expressed it, they did not come near enough the _Campoody_ or +Indian camp to discover me. Had they done so, they were two men only, +and could not have saved me, although they might, or rather would, +beyond any doubt, have made my death a somewhat costly one to the +Indians, who would most certainly have finished me before their two +rifles could have settled enough of the scoundrels to prevent their +doing so. + +They returned to the camp and told Arnold and the rest what they had +seen. + +If I had previously any doubt of my popularity with the boys, the result +of the information thus given would have dispelled it. + +In an instant every man was on his legs, and in another half-minute, +armed with their rifles and revolvers, they were following the two +scouts who had located the red-skins. + +On drawing sufficiently near, they had discovered me. + +It would be needless to recapitulate what I have already stated. Their +plan was determined upon, and they carried it fully out. Not a single +red-skin, male or female, nor even a _papoose_, was suffered to escape. +Indeed, I believe that if any of Uncle Sam's Agents or Blue Coats had +ventured to interfere with their prompt judgment, supposing they had +been on the ground, it might have gone badly enough with them, in spite +of our presumable loyalty. + +All that night, I lay on my blankets, in terrible agony. It seemed as if +I was losing my reason. A tough constitution and the care of my +companions, however, brought me through my suffering. Let none tell me +that men, rough as they may be, are unfitted to attend the sick. +Brighton Bill and Butch' constituted themselves not only my medical men, +but my nurses. They never left me for an instant. While one ate or +slept, the other was at my side. Their rough hands were as gentle with +me, as those of any woman might have been. + +Arnold and Painter were also unceasing in their attendance. + +Yet I feel that I am perhaps wrong in particularizing any of the +Rangers, when all were so kind. Suffice it, therefore, to say, that +after some ten days I was able to stand once more and move slowly about. +The effects of my fall, and the Indian treatment after it, were obviated +by the more civilized care and love, for I may surely call it so, the +boys bestowed upon me. In something less than a fortnight I was able +again to ride, and we started for Honey Lake Valley. + +On reaching it, winter was just approaching, and as peace had been +promised by the chief of the Pah-utes, I foresaw there would be little +occupation for me during this season. So, after a little talk, Butch' +Hasbrouck and Brighton Bill agreed to go with me, on a trapping +expedition to the Humboldt River. Providing ourselves with the necessary +number of traps and other requisites, we in a few days started, pitching +our camp in the Lassen Meadows, at La Due Very's, generally known as +"Old Bible-back," on the banks of that stream. For some time we were +very successful; indeed, as we afterwards found, remarkably so, +gathering together a large number of beaver, otter, and other skins. +Then, needing a re-supply of many necessary articles, we struck back to +the valley, and finished the winter near the Black Buttes. Here we had +as great a success in trapping mink, marten, and foxes. + +It was while we were here, that I had the satisfaction of killing my +first grizzly. + +Early on one sharply cold morning I had started out to make the round +of our traps. As I entered a dense chapparal, I saw, moving towards me, +a large bear with two young cubs. Of course it was their dam, and I knew +I was in for it. If I had taken to my heels, I felt assured the speed of +the ungainly brute would exceed mine. There was no large tree near, in +which I might have taken refuge. She had already seen me, and her small, +twinkling eyes were sparkling like black diamonds. Naturally, therefore, +I could not treat her to any Indian strategy. + +The only chance I had was in my skill as a marksman. Realizing this, I +dropped upon one knee, and raising my rifle to my shoulder, awaited her +approach. + +She was at this time about twenty yards away from me, advancing at a +rapidly awkward and shuffling run. + +I waited until she had lessened this distance probably one-half. Then, +with my bead drawn behind her ear, I let her have my ball, and she +dropped. It was with no small degree of pride that I contemplated her +large size, for the bullet had passed through her brain, as clearly as +in any shot I ever made, and she died in her tracks, mutely and gravely +as any Indian brave, whose death-struggles have been chronicled by the +novelist. Then, taking her two cubs under my arms, I returned to camp. +Butch' skinned the grizzly. Bill on this occasion officiated as butcher. +Cutting out the choicest parts of the meat, he brought them back with +him. It was lucky he did so, for on visiting our traps, for the second +time in that day, towards the evening, I found her bones picked +tolerably clean. + +Our share of the grizzly, however, lasted us for four days, and I must +say, choicer meat never crossed my palate. + +On our return to Honey Lake Valley, I presented one of the two cubs to +Governor Roop. The other, I myself kept. At this time, it was as playful +as a young kitten. Owing to its youth, I was able to thoroughly tame it, +so that it would follow me wherever I went, like a spaniel. When it had +increased in size to bear's estate, I made it, in after life, my +constant companion. Brighton Bill gave it the name which stuck to it, of +"my body-guard." + +While we were upon the Humboldt, Butch' and myself had discovered what +we believed to be silver ore. Brighton Bill shared our belief. + +When once more near Honey Lake, we informed the various members of the +Buckskin Rangers of our discovery. + +All were smitten with the usual fever resulting from an intimation of +the presence of either of the precious metals in any locality. It was, +therefore, in the spring of 1860, that we went out and pitched our camp +in a rocky defile, to which we gave the name of Prince Royal Cañon. The +reason of our bestowing this title on it, will, when the date is +remembered, be obvious to my readers. We were engaged "prospecting," the +remainder of the spring and the succeeding summer, having located a +large number of ledges. + +About September we had, however, grown tired of silver-prospecting +without any immediate results, and determined on adjourning our +metal-mining for the winter. It was, therefore, decided that we should +visit Klamath Lake and the Modoc country with the view of trapping and +hunting. + +We accordingly, at the commencement of the following month, struck out +for the Blue Mountains, in portion of which range we pitched our camp +for the purpose of looking out for good hunting-grounds. After talking +the matter well over, we concluded to separate. By so doing, we could +hold the whole of that portion of the country, as any good hunter and +trapper can take care of ten miles square without any other help. Some +of the boys accordingly went to the Klamath Lake--others betook +themselves to the Sierras. In fact, they were scattered round, within no +more than a day's ride of each other, while I and my pet bear, whom I +had named Charley, remained on the spot we had originally camped in. + +That winter set in with unusual severity. It was, indeed, the severest I +had yet known, through the whole of that region. + +Possibly, for twenty years, the one just past, has alone exceeded it, +whether in its average temperature or the amount of the snow which fell +and remained upon the earth. + +In the Blue Mountains, the snow averaged from a depth of ten to eighteen +feet. It covered my rude log-cabin so completely, that at times it might +have been difficult for me to find it. Here it was that my bear first +became of positive value to me, in addition to his affording me +something like companionship. + +When I left my cabin, I would leave him behind to keep house. + +The result of this was, that on my return, I was sure to find him +half-a-mile or more from home, to which he would pilot me unerringly. + +During the night, Charley always slept with me. After building a large +fire, I would lie down in his arms or rather fore-paws. He was far +better than any blanket. If, however, in my sleep, the fire had gone +down and the cold drove me unconsciously closer to him, than was +pleasant to his Grizzlyship, he would raise his hind paw and push me +into the middle of the floor. Then, it would seem as if a sense of the +duty he owed his owner returned. He would roll out, himself, snuff +around me, and if I kept quite still, which I have frequently done, +insert his nose under my side and trundle my apparently still slumbering +body back upon the bed. He possessed other qualities also, given him by +nature, in which he was eminently my superior. + +His hearing was wonderfully acute. Of a sudden, he would start out of +the cabin, with a quick look of intelligence that was well-nigh human. +After nosing around, if everything was quiet, he would slink back, with +an unmistakably sheepish look. Coming up to me, he would lick my hands +and face. It was precisely as if he had said: + +"Don't kick up a row, old boy! I was wrong and I know it. But, it is all +for the best, I should keep a bright look-out. My ears are quicker than +yours, you know." + +If, however, on leaving the cabin, any game, or a man should happen to +be near it, he would utter a continuous low growl until I joined him. + +One day he displayed his sagacity in an even stronger manner. I had gone +out with my rifle in the morning and did not return until the middle of +the afternoon. It was at considerably greater distance than usual from +our dwelling that he met me. He would not, however, accompany me +directly back, but shambled off with his rapid and swinging gait to a +considerable distance. Knowing he wanted me to see something, I followed +him almost as rapidly. Suddenly, he came to a dead halt. When I joined +him, I learnt the reason for this strange proceeding on Charley's part. +I had come upon some half-dozen or more moccasin-tracks, which led +directly towards my cabin. + +Of course, I now proceeded with great caution, as he also did. + +About a hundred yards from the entrance, I however found precisely the +same number of moccasin-tracks, bearing in an entirely different +direction. They very evidently led directly from the spot to which the +others had been going. + +As I was examining them, his juvenile Grizzlyship lowered his quaint +head above them, and as evidently scrutinized them with even greater +intentness than I had done. + +Then, he gave a low growl. It was exactly as if he had uttered the +phrase of-- + +"All right!" + +After this, dropping all semblance of caution, and shaking himself as a +huge dog might, he shuffled off hurriedly to the hole in the snow which +led to his and my habitation. When I entered it, he was circling round +the whole of the somewhat narrow interior, smelling in every part, and +repeating, from time to time, the low growl I have just alluded to as so +significant. + +It would be unnecessary to say, I did not enjoy a particularly sound +slumber that night. + +That the owners of these moccasins were Indians, it was impossible to +doubt. + +If, as some say the red men are able to do, I am unable to detect the +moccasined foot-print of one tribe from that of another, I can at any +rate tell whether the foot within the moccasin may chance to be a white +one. These were not. Of this I had been, at once, assured. But why had +they visited my hole in the snow, and why had they afterwards left it? +This last question I was unable satisfactorily to settle. + +In any case, it was necessary to let the other boys know red-skins were +around. Accordingly, breaking my fast early, I started towards Brighton +Bill's cabin, as he was my next-door neighbor, living merely at a +distance of some fifteen miles. Arriving there in the forenoon, I found +him seated by a roaring fire. But scarcely had I stepped within his +door, than he was on his feet with his rifle, which had been between his +knees, cocked, raised, and pointed at me. It was, however, as rapidly +dropped. + +"By 'eaven, Mose, H'i thought you was han H'ingin." + +"The Indians brought me here, Bill!" + +"The blasted red devils turned hup 'ere, when H'i was hout yesterday." + +"So they did, in my cabin. We ought to let the other boys know, and +decide upon what had best be done." + +"Butch' will be 'ere this morning. H'i seed 'im honly yesterday," said +Bill. "Hif you like, H'i will go hand fetch hup some of the hother +chaps." + +"I think, it would be better." + +"Very well, Cap! Hi'm hoff." + +Putting on his snow-shoes, he started immediately. + +He had scarcely left me for twenty minutes, when I heard a slight noise +on the snow without. Seizing my rifle, I moved cautiously to the door, +when something heavy leaped against me, which very nearly reduced me to +a prostrate position. It was my bear Charley, who had thought proper to +follow me. We retired within the cabin, which was considerably larger +than mine. Bill was in a slight degree inclined to grandeur and luxury, +if there can be such things in a log-hut. There, in company, we resigned +ourselves to expectation. All at once the Grizzly raised his head. Yes! +I had heard it, too. It was the movement of snow-shoes. A few moments +after, Butch' entered. + +On the preceding day, he also had seen Indian tracks around his +dwelling. + +In the afternoon, Brighton Bill reappeared. He had seen Harry Arnold, +and told him to see his nearest neighbor, and send word to the other +Rangers, bidding them to repair immediately to my quarters. + +After a hasty feed on some jerked deer, we then set out for my dwelling. +Darkness had settled on us, long before we reached it; and, but for the +chilly sheen of the sheet which draped the earth with its spotless +white, it might have been difficult to keep the track. + +Yet I am wrong. In any case, Charley's unerring scent would have proved +a sure guide. Why it was, however, I can scarcely say, save that he had +confidence in our numbers, but certainly, on this occasion, he uttered +no warning growl; and scarcely had we descended through the sloping snow +to the doorway than two powerful arms were thrown about me. I heard +Bill's voice roar: + +"Look hout, Mose!" + +We were in the grip of the red-skins. + +The struggle was furious but brief. Our assailants had been joined by a +dozen other Indians, who had been lurking without, and it was not long +before we had our hands tied behind us, and we were on our way to Goose +Lake. + +Before starting, it must frankly be said, that with the usual red +instinct for appropriating everything which comes in their way, my +cabin had been thoroughly gutted. Ammunition, provision, blankets--nay, +everything portable--and there was nothing which was not portable in +it--had become the property of the copper-colored rascals. + +Placing me in front, and Butch' and Bill behind me, in regular Indian +file, they kept on either side of us, forcing us to hurry on as speedily +as they could compel us to move. + +It was impossible for me to forget my past experience, and I mentally +resolved, if I were able to do so, that I would sell my life in square +fight, rather than undergo a second time the torture to which I had then +been subjected. At last, there seemed a chance for doing so. We had been +compelled to move along at a smart trot for some six or seven hours, so +far as I was able to measure time, when, from what cause I cannot say, +although it was probably the continual friction, I felt that the +ligature round my wrists was sensibly looser. My hands were able to slip +through the thongs. I dared not tell either of my companions what I had +done, and ask them whether or not they might be able to do the same. +Some of the red rascals might understand English. One or more of them +might even be renegade whites. What could I do to release them? The idea +came to me like a flash of lightning. Pretending to stumble, I pitched +forward, and recovering myself, got a blow on my face from one of our +captors. It was apparently from one of the same thongs with which our +wrists had been bound. Then, I uttered a shrill and prolonged cry as if +of pain. + +After this, I found myself the last of the three. + +Two minutes had scarcely passed, and Bill's hands had been freed. Mine +had untied the thongs which bound them. He would have wit enough to +loose Butch'. Life on the Plains and in the great West, sharpens man's +mother-wit wonderfully. + +Day was not yet breaking. + +That heavy darkness was upon us, which so generally precedes dawn. + +At this very moment we came to some low foot-hills, where the timber was +dense and thick. We were obliged to move more slowly. My friends had +just crossed a log, and the Indian on the left of me was stepping over +it, when I fetched him with my clenched fist a violent blow under his +ear. At any rate, I felt that was the place in which I struck him. + +As he reeled and fell, I wrenched the gun from his hands, shouting out, + +"Now's your time, boys." + +The brute instinct of self-preservation answered for their closely +following, without knowing that they did so, my action. In another +instant we were clubbing right and left, and so soon as we could change +our guns for some that had not been injured by such an employment, we +commenced shooting. Scarcely had I heard the report of my first shot +than I felt two vigorous arms thrown around my waist. They were lifting +me from the ground, probably for the purpose of dashing me to the earth, +when they suddenly relaxed their grip. A madly wild yell broke from the +lips of that Indian, mingled with a ringingly fierce growl which I at +once recognized, although I had never before heard it so savagely +shapen, as Charley's voice. + +My pet had followed on our track, and was actually assisting us in +rescuing ourselves. + +[Illustration: "My pet had followed in our track, and was actually +assisting us to rescue ourselves."--_Page 154._] + +Strangely enough, since the moment in which we had first found +ourselves captives and were marched away in the fashion I have above +described, no thought of Grizzly's absence from my side had ever crossed +my mind. His memory had however been better than mine. Perhaps, when all +circumstances are fairly considered, it had some reason for being so. + +After a very brief struggle, the wholly unexpected assault of their +three prisoners, and their four-footed or four-handed ally, on the red +devils, resulted in a complete victory. + +The yet living Indians cleared out, leaving us masters of the field. As +the day was now gradually breaking, we were enabled to count the dead, +and exercise a proprietary right in their scalps. What was of much more +advantage to myself, I was enabled to recapture nearly the whole of my +stolen property, as well as a number of guns, corresponding with that of +the dead, which necessarily changed hands. + +Eight of the scoundrels would have no more chance of troubling their +white brethren. + +This enumeration includes the one whom Charley had so considerately +squeezed out of this life, very much, as Butch' afterwards remarked-- + +"As a younker squeezes a ripe orange." + +It was late in the afternoon, when we arrived again at my cabin. Upon +entering the hole in the snow which led to it, we found Harry Arnold, +Ben Painter, and many of the boys there. They had preceded our coming by +some twenty minutes. The footprints visible on the outside of my +dwelling, as well as the thoroughly emptied condition of its interior, +had readily given them a thorough apprehension of our condition. When +we returned, they were on the point of preparing to follow on the trail +of the red savages. + +Of course, we had to relate our adventures since the preceding night. +This, however, did not take long, as the demands of famished nature were +too exacting. We had tasted neither bite nor sup since noon on the +preceding day. + +I may here state, that much to the mortification of Butch' and Brighton +Bill, as well as somewhat to my own, it became evident that the Rangers +considered my young Grizzly as the real hero of the occasion. Indeed, +Painter proposed to give him a horn of old Rye, and would have done so, +had I not peremptorily forbidden it, not only on the score of its +possible effects upon his innocent inside, but also because our stock of +that necessary article was getting very low. + +After our meal, which I ate ravenously, and presume the two who had been +my fellow-captives did the same, "Long" Dorsey (he stood six feet two, +in his stockings) and Lute Spencer arrived. Some minutes after, we heard +a voice whistling the familiar tune "Joe Bowers." This was "small" Tom +Harvey, who had lingered in their rear. Seeing they had entered without +exciting any commotion within the cabin, he concluded no Indians were in +the immediate neighborhood. Otherwise, he would undoubtedly have +refrained from allowing his lips this exercise. + +We were told by Lute Spencer that they had paused at Bob Thorn's cabin +by the way. He was more generally known by his intimates and associates +as Dirty Bob. + +"The place war gutted, as you say yours war," continued Lute, "and Bob +war nowhere." + +"The red devils had been there," added Dorsey. "We counted the tracks +of some ten of them." + +Fatigued as I was, I at once proposed starting for Bob's cabin. The +memory I have already alluded to, gave me a sharp twinge of +commiseration for any unlucky fellow who might be treated to a similar +phase of personal experience. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + LOTS OF PLUCK--ONE OF THE RANGERS KILLED--THINKING OF A + BROTHER--TAKING A GOOD POSITION--LOSS OF HAIR, AND WHAT THE + RED-SKINS THINK OF IT--"CAPTAIN JACK'S" OR THE MODOC + COUNTRY--"CAPTAIN JACK'S" STRONGHOLD--ON OUR WAY BACK--SIGNAL-FIRES + AND SOME STRATEGY--HALF A HUNDRED SCALPS FOR ONE--THE PAH-UTES ON + THE WARPATH--FISHING FOR THE DEAD--THE WHITE FLAG--WASHO BRAVERY. + + +Bob's location was at some thirty miles' distance from my cabin, and we +arrived there, shortly after the dazzling rays of the morning sun were +blindingly increased in strength by the reflection from the snow. + +Spencer and Dorsey had told us the bare fact. Butch', however, had a +keener nose than they apparently possessed. + +"Dirty Bob fit well for it," he said, after glancing through the cabin. +"Some of the red skunks war hurt, and no mistake. He al'ays had lots o' +pluck." + +He was unmistakably right. There were marks of blood on the hard soil of +the floor. But, whether the soaked in and dead crimson had once run in +his veins or those of his Indian enemies, remained to be seen. We almost +at once struck their trail, which led through the forest, beyond the +spot he had selected for his hunting-ground. This we followed, for +something more than six miles. The track was by no means an easy one, +rising and falling, broken up by rocks and intersected with the stumps +of fallen trees. In short, it was one which none of the delicate +nurslings of city civilization would have cared about following, even +for the purpose of pulling trigger at their first live venison, and, of +necessity, missing it. + +Arnold and Painter were in advance. + +The fatigue of the past two days and night had kept me somewhat in the +rear of the party, with Butch' and "Fatty." + +Painter uttered a savage oath. + +We ran up to him. He and Arnold were standing close to the body of poor +Bob. His knife, smeared with dried or frozen blood, was still clenched +in the hands of the corpse, which was frightfully mutilated. It had also +been scalped. Evidently, his death had been the result of a vigorous +struggle to escape; for the snow on which he was lying was crushed in +and trodden down in every direction; while a young tree had been torn +from its roots by the force with which some one had fallen against it. +Glancing at Ben Painter, I saw that his teeth were set tightly together, +and his under lip, which his beard permitted me to see, was rigid and +almost blue. I took him by the hand and squeezed it. + +"I war thinking of my brother." + +This was all he said, as we continued upon the trail. + +From this point, it could very readily be followed. The marks of blood +were visible enough all along it. One or more of the red-skins had been +wounded. In about half a mile further, the road became easier and the +trees were more scattered. Arnold, who was still in front with Painter, +and Brighton Bill, had sighted what they supposed to be a dead Indian. + +"Here's one of them," cried Arnold. + +Scarcely had he uttered this than, wounded as he was, the savage leapt +to his feet and ran. His strength, however, only availed him for a +short spurt. He again dropped, and, while on the ground, drew his bow. +The arrow struck Bill on the left arm, making a slight flesh wound. But +before the red devil could discharge another, Ben Painter was up with +him, and the knife he had drawn was buried in his heart. On examining +the dead body, we discovered the wound Bob had inflicted on its side. +Blood was still slowly oozing from it. + +From this point, the trail diverged towards the Lower Klamath Lake. We +followed on it as rapidly as possible, passing Shasta Mountain, until we +arrived at Fall River. Beyond this stream lies the country, which is the +stronghold of the Modoc and Pit-River tribes. + +It is certainly a fitting section to have such an appellation applied to +it. + +Throughout, it is covered with natural fortifications. Huge rocks rise +from the earth, varying from two hundred to three hundred and fifty feet +in height. A single precipitous and narrow path, sometimes natural, not +unfrequently fashioned by the Modocs or their tributaries, the Pit-River +Indians, who are by no means as warlike, leads to the top of these. +Here, in many cases, the summit is defended by a breastwork. In the beds +of lava, for this part of the country has formerly been volcanic, you +will also occasionally come upon a triangle of rocks, from four to six +feet in height, with a steep cavity in their centre, large enough in +every case to admit a man, and frequently much larger. The reasons of +these curious formations I leave to more inquiringly scientific minds +than my own. They are certainly too numerous, as well as now too low, to +be supposed the series of small craters from which lava formerly flowed. + +Even in saying this, I feel I am getting beyond my depth. + +Let me, therefore, confine myself to the details of actions which I am +assuredly able to speak of, from the mere fact that I very decidedly +took part in them. + +We had followed the Modocs as far as Battle Creek. + +Here, knowing the situation they intended to trap us into, we halted for +two days, in order to give ourselves some rest, and enable a portion of +the Rangers whom our speed had outstripped to catch up with us. + +On the second day we consulted together for a long time. This council +was the first in which my advice had not been immediately taken by the +Rangers, without any opposition. + +It was, that we should make what a military tactician would call a +feint. + +In other words, we should seem to retire as if we did not dare to carry +the pursuit any further. During the succeeding night we might return, +and, under its cover, secure one of the best positions in the section of +country immediately beyond Fall River. + +Harry Arnold and Lute Spencer decidedly objected to this. They asserted +that it would be the first time in which we had ever backed from any +number of the "darned red skunks." Many of the others agreed with them, +amongst whom were Butch' and "Fatty." + +Painter, however, greatly to my surprise, in the teeth of their +opposition, took my side of the question, as did Brighton Bill. Laying +his broad hand on my shoulder, the latter said: + +"The Cap's more nor 'arf ha Hinjun. Hi'll be blamed hif 'e hisn't +right!" + +At length we carried the day, and broke up our camp on the following +morning. Upon the same night we returned, moving with the greatest +silence and caution, securing a position admirably adapted for my +purpose. Part of the Rangers took possession of one of the natural forts +which commanded an area of some two hundred yards in width. The rest of +us were posted in a series of the triangular pits opposite this +position. Their duty was similar to that of sharpshooters, although I +may say not a single Ranger would have been unfit for such a duty, or +would have failed in it. + +It was a little after daybreak, when we first caught sight of a party of +the Modocs. These counted barely ten. They had evidently come out to see +whether we had quitted our late position by Battle Creek. + +Nothing was to be seen of us. The Creek was visible. Consequently +returning, they halted immediately between the rock on which part of our +number were encamped and the rifle-pits opposite. From this spot they +despatched a runner to warn the remainder of the red-skins. So far, +everything had worked rightly. In some twenty minutes more fifty or +sixty of the remaining Modocs had joined their scouting party. + +They were together, some pointing in the direction they supposed us to +have taken, and others talking, it may be presumed, on the wisdom of +following us, when I gave the word. + +We all had Sharp's carbines. Indeed, these were our invariable fighting +weapons. Throwing in cartridge after cartridge, we kept up an almost +continuous fire. Those who escaped our balls, scattered in every +possible direction. + +Forty-three of the red-skins had been slain. + +After taking their scalps, we started off in the direction of Pit +River. + +Here, possibly, the reader may feel some shrinking horror at the +constant repetition made by me, of this, to his mind, unpleasantly +barbaric proceeding. Let him remember that the unscalped Indian is +supposed, by his red brethren, to hold a higher rank in the Happy +Hunting Grounds of his belief than the one who has lost his hair. He +will then form some idea of the reason for which the white ranger or +scout invariably scalps the red-skin who has fallen under his ball. + +When we were near old Fort Crook, a signal-fire was seen, far to our +left. + +Having advised with Arnold, he and Bill ascended the mountain nearest +us, to answer it from that point. Crossing the valley to the further +side, I repeated the answering signal from the opposite hill. Then, +passing the low "divide" or range of insignificantly steep ground +between Pit and Fall Rivers, we once more started a signal-fire, on the +highest point we could find. + +All that seemed at the moment left for us to do, was to conceal +ourselves and wait what might next turn up. While hidden, Brighton Bill +touched my arm. + +"Hi'm blamed hif the red rascals harn't hat hit hagain." + +His eyes had been quicker than mine or any of the rest of us. Another +signal had been kindled on a large bald or bare mountain on our left, +and slightly in our rear. Butch' was sent to a hill lying some half of a +mile to our right, to answer this. He was one of the quietest scouts +amongst the Rangers; and saying this, is paying him a high compliment, +when all of us had learnt to be so apt and ready. He had been, on this +occasion, selected by me, because the last signal-fire had ignited so +near to us, that caution and care were absolutely necessary in him who +replied to it, to prevent any detection of the white man who might be +employed to kindle it. We waited for his reply some time. Almost +immediately after it was seen by us, the smoke from an answer to it was +seen upon a low hill to the right of our ambuscade. There was certainly +no possibility of mistaking the meaning of this signal. It was an +inquiry whether the friends who had so kindly answered them were "on our +trail?" + +We were waiting for Hasbrouck to come back, when we saw in the gathering +gloom the crimson light of another signal-fire, farther up the valley. + +Without coming back for new orders, Butch' had exercised his own +judgment. He had displayed his rapidity of decision and accuracy of +calculation, in what he had done. + +He had not yet returned when I saw a party of Indians, numbering in all, +from twenty to twenty-five, stringing, with great care and silence, up +the valley. Quite unconscious of our ambush, they advanced right into +it. + +But, that the boys fired too soon, not a single one of the luckless +red-skins would have escaped. + +As it was, eight of them paid the penalty of having mistaken our +signal-fires for those of their own friends. In almost a word, I may say +that the slaughter of fifty-one Modocs had atoned for the death of our +luckless associate, Bob Thorn. + +His was the first name wiped out from the Buckskin Rangers, and, after +we had punished the tribe which had taken his life, not unnaturally, his +memory was frequently recalled by most of us, with sorrow. + +I was possibly the only one of the Rangers that remembered the close of +his life, with something approaching pleasure. The dead man had been +enabled by it, to escape that most horrible of dooms, as I was too well +aware, the slow death at the stake. + +About the end of February, we once more reached the settlement at the +lower end of Honey Lake. We were enabled to carry with us a fair stock +of skins, or as the traders call them, "peltry." + +These we disposed of at a reasonable and remunerative figure. No sooner +had we done so, than after a few days' idleness spent with friends and +acquaintances, the larger part of us decided upon returning to our +silver lodes upon the Humboldt River. The truth is, that during the past +fall and winter, the report of our success in prospecting for ore in +that locality, had spread far and wide. It had exercised the usual charm +which the news of such a discovery invariably does. If we had delayed in +the occupancy of our claims, we might, in the sequel, have found them a +subject of dispute. The law of the mines is an unwritten one. +Consequently, its strictness in some points is only equalled by its +vagueness in others. Here our luck was various enough, but on the whole +we fairly prospered. Nothing of particular account, however, presents +itself for me to put on record, save the presence of my friends and his +Grizzlyship, my now considerably large pet, Charley. + +On returning from our life at these mines, we spent the whole of the +following winter in the valley or at Susanville. + +It would be useless to inquire into the reason of our doing so. +Possibly we were lazy, or more probably had reaped too much profit from +mining and trapping, during the past year. However, there were no Indian +troubles that season. There may be an equal chance that this was the +reason of our comparative inactivity. + +The succeeding winter, that of 1861 and '62, will be remembered by all +old Californians as one of the most severe which had ever occurred in +that part of our country. The mountains were closed very early, so +early, indeed, that few or none of the settlers in the up-lands had got +in their winter supplies. They were actually shut in by the heavy +snow-falls, from the possibility of doing so. + +In addition to this trouble, our old enemies, the Pah-ute Indians, had +again become restless. + +Possibly, Uncle Sam had forgotten to purchase their forbearance. At any +rate, they were again upon the war-path, for the purpose of stealing +stock. + +My first knowledge of this arose from the following occurrence: + +A lame man, named Thomas Bear, was at this period keeping the Deep Hole +Spring Station, on the Humboldt road. He chanced to be in the valley +upon business, when some travellers from the Humboldt passed through it, +on their way to Susanville. In passing Deep Hole, they had paused at the +Station. It was to find it deserted and plundered of almost everything +which an Indian would be likely to take. The floor was marked with +numerous stains of blood, and there were unmistakable signs visible, +which clearly told them a savage struggle had recently taken place +there. Meeting Tom, they recounted these facts to him. + +He had known me for some three years, and hunting me up--for if +anywhere in this end of Honey Lake Valley, no man was very difficult to +find,--asked me to accompany him to the Station, to discover what was +the matter. The request was a natural one, and I at once complied with +it. + +From snow the roads were almost impassable, save on foot. I, +nevertheless, set out with my lame companion on this pleasant tramp. + +While resting during the night at George Laithrop's Ranch, as a matter +of course, I explained the facts which induced me to accompany Bear. A +young lad no more than sixteen years of age overheard me, and wished to +go with us. In fact, he displayed such a determination to make a third +in our party, that I could not refuse him. + +"You must get a rifle from Laithrop," I said, when he asked me to take +him with us. + +"I've one of my own, and a Colt's six-mouthed barker, too," was his +reply. + +"If so, you can come with us." + +On the next morning, we started again, Tom, the boy, and myself. Little +trouble was anticipated by me from the red-skins, in spite of what Bear +had heard. The road from the Humboldt was so constantly travelled over, +and lay so much out of the usual line of their depredations, that I was +almost disinclined to put full faith in the account which he had so +implicitly accepted. Mud Spring Station had, however, been apparently +abandoned, and we were compelled to push on to Smoke Creek without +resting there. Next day, we rose early, and made the best speed we +could, in the hope of reaching Deep Hole on the same night. This was, +however, in consequence of the depth of the snow in many places, +impossible. We were forced to stop at Wall Springs. This was at six +miles' distance from the point to which our steps were directed. + +When, on the succeeding day, shortly after dawn, we arrived at the +Station, we found that the travellers had told Tom nothing but the +truth. + +Nevertheless, on a thorough examination, I found that none of the +provisions or blankets had been taken. Nothing but the guns and +ammunition had been made away with. But for the marks of blood on the +floor and in the doorway, it is more than probable Bear's suspicions +might have been equally divided between the man he had left in charge of +the Station and the red-skins. + +As yet, nothing had been found inside the premises to indisputably +settle the fact of the man's murder, or if he had been murdered, to +prove how or by whom the outrage had been committed. + +The snow in front of the house might possibly have offered some proof; +but the feet of the party who had brought the news to Honey Lake, had +effaced all such evidence, which might have been left on it. Some days +had, to a certainty, elapsed. My life in the last few years had, +however, taught me the two great Indian virtues, patience and +persistence. Only half of our search was yet over. + +I began to examine the grounds round the Station, and found, leading to +one of the largest and deepest of the springs from which it has taken +its name, the track of moccasins. + +Getting a long _lariat_, which lame Tom had procured for me, I +extemporized a hook from the hoop of an old keg, and with the line to +which I had attached it, began fishing in the spring, for anything I +might find in it. + +Nor, was my search long unrewarded. + +Shortly after, in dragging the bottom, my hook caught hold of something +heavy. When we had raised it to the surface of the water, it proved to +be a body. As I glanced at Bear, he said, with almost a groan: + +"Sure enough, it's poor Dave." + +The head of the murdered man had been split with a hatchet, and +afterwards scalped. A fragment of rock had been tied to the body by the +Pah-utes for the purpose of sinking it. + +After we had interred it, as decently as we could, we proceeded to +_cachè_ the blankets, provisions, and anything else which might be of +value. All of the stock had been driven off, with the exception of a +lame horse. This we took away with us, as, otherwise, it must have +perished. + +On our return, when we had reached the low Sand Hills at the foot of +Smoke-creek Cañon, we saw eight or ten red-skins coming down the side of +the mountain to the right of the track in front of us. Each of them +carried a stick with a piece of white rag tied to it. In the hands of an +Indian, a flag of any sort means fight, and we knew it. Our preparations +were speedily made. Telling the boy to lead the horse and draw his +revolver, I gave his rifle to Tom Bear, who had none, bidding him cover +our rear. Then, before taking my place in front, an uncommon one for +most generals, and only to be pardoned on account of the exceedingly +restricted number of my army, I gave my directions to the boy. They were +very simple. He was to follow after me, and not use his Colt, unless I +fired--if necessitated to do so. + +When all was settled satisfactorily, we steadily advanced. + +Soon after, the Washos reached the road. So, at least, my lame friend +afterwards said they were, and it appears probable, as ten Pah-utes to +two whites and a boy, even if a tall one, would scarcely have been cowed +so easily. They had drawn up on either side of the track, and attempted +to induce us to stop. Pushing them right and left with my rifle, I paid +no attention to this, and as soon as we had passed, faced round, bidding +Tom to do the same, until we were out of the range of their arrows. None +of them had fire-arms. + +On reaching the cañon, instead of going through it, we crossed to the +west side, in the view of preventing any risk of an ambush from them +while we were in the defile. Had we exposed ourselves to this chance, +and had they enough resolution to have availed themselves of it, their +arrows would have told, while, unless they had incautiously uncovered +themselves, there would have been exceedingly small risk of their losing +any of their own party. Tom Bear was right. They very certainly could +not have been Pah-utes. + +We had no more trouble until we reached Laithrop's Ranch, which we did +in as short a period as lame Tom and the still lamer quadruped could +traverse the distance. Here, the lad who had accompanied us was to +remain; and when I left him there, I was unable to refrain from giving +him a few words of warm praise. + +"You behaved very well, my boy, when you gave up your rifle, at once. If +you obey orders so promptly now, some day you will be in a position to +give them." + +"I'm right glad, Captain Mose, to hear you tell me that." + +As he said this, the young fellow flushed through his richly bronzed +skin up to the very roots of his hair, with pleasure. + +When I saw him, a somewhat sad and bitter reflection came over me. In +the far West, self-reliance comes early as well as quickly. Manhood +grows with action, not by years. How soon, life must rob him of the +capacity of blushing at any such recognition of obedience. + +There, amid the roughly hardy dwellers on the frontier, exertion rapidly +blots out the modest valuation of our own merits. It, indeed, teaches a +self-appreciation which frequently approaches the style of Bombastes, +and which I have not uncommonly heard stigmatized as braggadocio. + +This is, nevertheless, an unfair judgment. He who has to be ready for +anything, whose energy and audacity have drawn him through difficulties +and dangers his Eastern fellow-countryman never has been exposed to, +will at times necessarily glorify his own pluck and endurance. And why +should he not do so, having none around him who would be inclined to +sing his praises, while they believe themselves equally or more gallant +and plucky than he is? + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + DANGER IN THE AIR--THE CHOICE OF A CAPTAIN--AN EFFECTUAL + SARCASM--GOING LAME--"THE HEATHEN CHINEE"--A MILITARY ENGINEER + WITHOUT A COMMISSION--NO VENTILATION--SMOTHERING LIKE RATS IN A + HOLE--THE MONETARY SURPRISE--TWO RED-SKINS--LEAVING THEIR GUNS + OUTSIDE--TRAPPED--"THE HEATHEN CHINEE" ONCE MORE--SOME QUIET TALK. + + +The next two or three weeks passed, to all appearance, quietly enough. +There was, however, an unpleasant feeling in Susanville and around Honey +Lake, of danger in the air. Perhaps, this feeling was not wholly +unpleasant. The Rangers had now been idle for a tolerably long time. +That is to say, there had recently been no positive Indian troubles. + +However, the Deep Hole Spring murder had sounded the preparatory note. + +Not long afterwards the gathering storm broke on us. A large stock of +cattle belonging to Bill Long and Allen Wood had been in the charge of +five good and trusty _Buccahros_ or herdsmen, at the upper end of the +valley. But red cunning, in this case, baffled white honesty. One dark +night, three hundred head of stock were driven off; and in the morning +the herdsmen found themselves without any herd to look after. At the +time when the intelligence reached it, I was in Susanville. In less than +an hour after we heard the facts, the Rangers, with the exception of +three, were in the saddle, and on their way to Emmerson's Ranch, from +which the cattle had been driven. Two of the three we picked up on the +road there. The third overtook us, long before we had arrived at the +spot where our services were required. + +About fifty volunteers had collected at the Ranch, when we reached it. +They were occupied in the momentous duty of choosing a captain, and +appeared to find no small difficulty in making their selection. As soon +as Harry Arnold appreciated this difficulty, he approached me with an +air of very far profounder respect than he had ever before exhibited to +me, and raising his hand to his forehead in soldier-like style, said +with great gravity: + +"Captain! Don't you think we had better take the trail? They won't have +chosen their commanding officer until--" + +"The Day hof Judgment!" broke in Brighton Bill, with an oath. + +"And after that," continued Harry with the same imperturbable +seriousness, "they will have to elect a Lieutenant, a Sergeant, and--" + +"'Alf ha dozen Horderlies!" + +For once in my life I very nearly forgot duty, as I looked at the two +whose criticism on the election going on, was couched in styles so +widely opposed. To avoid roaring with laughter, I roared out in a very +different tone. + +"Rangers! take the trail." + +In another instant, we were following its sufficiently broad and plain +indication. + +Let me, as we pursue it, mention that Harry Arnold's gentlemanly +reproof, and Bill's coarser satire produced an immediate result. David +Blanchard was chosen captain of the Volunteers, in less than five +minutes, and in no more than ten after we were on the trail, they also +were in the saddles, and following it, closely behind us. + +Blanchard had lived on the Plains for years, and was in every respect +well adapted for his present position. We soon had a good understanding, +and when we arrived at Smoke Creek where the Indians had evidently +camped for the night, on the day before, a plan of action was agreed +upon. + +The horses were accordingly sent back under a sufficient guard to the +Ranch, and we divided ourselves into two parties. One of these was to +follow the red robbers up Painter's Cañon, which direction they had +taken. The other was to continue down Smoke Creek, by Buffalo Springs, +to protect the settlers from any other bands of the Pah-utes which might +be out, after anything they could pick up--provision or stock, weapons +or lives. + +Very unfortunately, shortly after we had started, John Partridge and +myself, with one of the pack-horses retained to carry blankets and +provisions, as well as a Chinese who had accompanied the volunteers as a +man of all work, became so lame that it was impossible for us to +continue at the same speed as the rest of the party. + +It was a matter of obvious necessity, that we should give up all idea of +doing so. + +In consequence of this, Arnold took my place in command of the Rangers, +and with a sore heart in one bosom at least, I turned my back upon the +men whose labors and dangers I had so long partaken. It would be almost +impossible for me to explain precisely what my feelings were at that +moment. Of course, I felt none who had shared my previous struggles +would impute my disability to anything approaching fear, or a +disinclination to endure privation. And yet, in the immediate pursuit of +the rascals who had plundered two of our prominent settlers, I was +compelled to leave it entirely to others. In my eyes, this almost seemed +a humiliation which it must be long before I could surmount, and which +subsequent toil and courage might alone wipe out. + +Necessarily, this now appears childish to myself as it will doubtless to +my readers. However, I felt it, and my heart seemed to weep tears of +blood and shame as I did so. + +We had determined upon returning through Rush Valley, for two reasons. +One of them was, that knowing the ground, we fancied it would be easier +to travel for us in our partially disabled condition. The other was even +a simpler one. On reaching Mud Springs, which even in our present state +we might fairly count upon doing by nightfall, we should find a resting +place. This was in the house of a man whom I knew tolerably well, and +who had formerly kept the Station at this place. + +Upon reaching Mud Springs, which we did earlier than we had calculated +on doing, we repaired to his dwelling, where we were welcomed warmly. + +Scarcely, however, had he placed food before us, with some capital +coffee, than he began questioning us about the Indians. He asked us what +we had heard of them--whether they were yet moving--what action had been +taken with regard to them, and lastly, how it was that I, Buckskin Mose, +as I was now generally called, chanced to be here? In reply, I +recounted to him the plunder of Emmerson's Ranch, of which, he had as +yet heard nothing, and the steps which had been taken to pursue the +Pah-ute thieves. My narration was concluded with, I fear, no peculiarly +pious expression of pleasure at having been compelled to leave the +Rangers at a time when I should so desire to have been at their head. + +As he listened to what I was saying, he chuckled audibly, and seeing my +look of astonishment, afterwards explained what had induced him to +indulge in so strange an exhibition of merriment. + +"Yer see, Cap! I'm ready for 'em if they look me up. I don't choose to +turn tail, like some of my neighbors." + +"What do you mean?" + +"I was sartain the copper-colored devils were preparing for something o' +the sort, and so made a hole under the chapparal behind the house, whar +I don't much think they'll spot me, when I take to it." + +The hole he alluded to was a large and comfortable excavation conducted +to by a subterranean passage of considerable length. It had taken him +several weeks to dig out the passage and room, which last was +sufficiently spacious to _cachè_ all his goods, and even portion of his +stock, if the necessity of doing so was forced upon him. He exhibited +his fortification, or we should perhaps call it his citadel, to myself, +Partridge, and the Chinaman, with a good deal of pride. + +Nor, indeed, was it a place of security to be laughed at, by a solitary +dweller on the frontier during Indian troubles. Nature had evidently not +dealt on the square with him. With the advantages of education, the +fellow would have made a good military engineer. + +Fatigued with our day's tramp, we retired at an early hour, and had +been asleep but a short time, when we were aroused by the continual +barking of his two watchdogs. These, I had noticed on arriving at the +house. They were noble-looking animals. + +Throwing aside my blanket, and sitting up, I noticed that Partridge had +done the same. + +As for the person who had failed to find his natural avocation, he was +already on his feet, as also was our Chinese friend. The latter +volunteered a very unnecessary explanation. + +"Doggee too much barkee. Pig-tail Bobbee, no sleepee." + +The dogs certainly did keep up a confounded row. We concluded that, +under the circumstances, a renewed attempt at slumber would be useless. +In accordance with this view of the situation, John Partridge and myself +also rose, "keeping an eye out" for what might turn up next. + +We had only been on our legs for a few minutes, when one of the dogs +rushed against the door with a prolonged howl. On opening it, he ran in, +and we saw an arrow sticking in his body. The door was instantly closed +and barred. It was clear that we were attacked, and I instantly peered +through one of the small holes with which the boarded and sodded walls +of the house were pierced, to see what I could. + +It was dark enough. Yet my eyes were sufficiently keen to discern the +dusky forms of objects moving in front, which were evidently red-skins. + +But the gloom was too great for us to fire with a reasonable chance of +hitting them. We must wait for the daylight. It was now some two hours +past midnight, and when the dawn broke we should--ha! what was this? +Smoke driving through the dried sods on the inside of the walls, +followed here and there, where the shrinking of the matted earth had +given such a chance, by lancing tongues of flame. + +Light had been afforded us much sooner than we had, in any way, +anticipated. + +The red devils had set the house on fire. + +It was clear that we should have to abandon our outer works, and retire +into the stronghold. + +We accordingly made an orderly retreat through the tunnel which has +already been mentioned, carrying all our ammunition and weapons with us. +The Pah-utes had of course expected us to attempt an escape above +ground. In that case, they would have been able, by the light of the +blazing dwelling, to have counted us out and raised our hair. As it was, +we preferred concealing ourselves under the earth. This enabled us to +save our scalps, at any rate, for the time. + +We had carried a spade with us. It was necessary to fill up the passage +through which we quitted the burning dwelling. In any less pressing +necessity than the present, I should certainly have set Pig-tail Bobbee +at the work of closing it. Chinese labor, however, although thorough, is +by no means rapid enough in moments of necessity. + +So, I began it. Partridge and the engineer followed. Each worked in +turn, almost as fast as chain lightning. + +In some ten or twelve minutes the mouth of the narrow tunnel was blocked +up, I may honestly say, with a speed and completeness which even a +Brunel or a Stephenson would have appreciated. McClellan would have +been nowhere, if his work had been brought into comparison with ours on +the score of rapidity. + +We then transferred ourselves to the citadel. As I before intimated, it +was sufficiently large. However, it possessed one inconvenience with +regard to John and myself. + +The engineer was a short man. He had dug it out, with an eye to his own +convenience. The Chinaman was even shorter. Consequently, he also found +it lofty enough for his height. But we counted nearly six feet in +stature. However, in such a case as the present one, minor personal +discomforts had to be overlooked. A graver one now presented itself. The +engineer had provided no means of ventilation. We had tenanted the +internal fort for some half an hour, when the atmosphere became +unpleasantly close. It might even have been pronounced stifling. Some +means of procuring fresh air had at once to be found. I questioned our +friend as to the presumable distance between the top of my skull and the +bottom of the _chapparal_. + +"Tain't far, Cap, atween one and the other," was his answer. + +"How far?" + +"Mebbee, six inches," he reflectively answered. + +"You're sure of that?" + +"Or mebbee, six foot!" + +"Good Heavens! man, have you no clearer idea about it than that?" + +"How on airth should I, Cap?" + +"Don't you know that there's a good chance of our being smothered, like +rats in a hole which has been stopped up?" + +"Yow could I help it?" + +There was no use in discussing the subject with the luckless engineer. +That was evident. Something, however, had to be done, and very shortly. +A rat in such a case would use its teeth without pausing to discuss how +much or how little he had to gnaw through. My teeth were not exactly +adapted to such an experiment. But my ramrod might be a good probe, and +if it found bottom or top (which it was, it would have been difficult to +say) the spade might save us. + +In another instant I was working my ramrod through the earthen roof of +our air-tight, although scarcely pregnable citadel. + +The earth was soft, and in less than a minute I felt its end had reached +fresh air, although none of that desirable commodity had yet reached us. +In order to enlarge the hole I had made, I was working the slip of +wrought-iron with which I had produced it, round and round, when a large +piece of rock fell down from the side of it, with a quantity of loose +soil. + +It scraped my shoulder. + +"What tumblee?" screamed Pig-tail Bobby. + +"Hold your tongue, you fool!" said Partridge. "Don't you feel, Mose has +saved us from stifling." + +With the fresh air, a little light, it was very little, came through the +hole to us. As for me, I felt a new man. Looking around for a barrel +which I had seen in the excavation when we had first visited it, with +its proprietor, I set it erect under the ventilator so unexpectedly +manufactured. Mounting on it, I protruded my head through the bottom of +the _chapparal_. Day had already broken. Through the under branches of +the trees I could see the still smoking timbers of the burned-down +house. The rascally Pah-utes were dancing around them, in fiendish glee. + +It was too great a temptation to be resisted, and I asked John to hand +me my rifle. + +After he had handed it to me, I passed its barrel through the bushes +with great care, so as to avoid any noise which might attract the +attention of the Indians. + +Never, possibly, was any red devil more surprised than that Pah-ute, +when he felt the leaden messenger of death crashing through his skull. + +His surprise, however, was but momentary. It silenced him forever. + +They handed me another rifle, and another of the red-skins fell. + +Yet another, and another--until, at last, when nine of the Indians had +been slain, the remainder of them fled from the scene they had so +recently fancied one of complete victory. + +We now quitted the cave which had served us so well, having taken some +pork from the barrel I had used to stand upon with so much advantage. +While cooking this on the still burning embers of the house, I saw the +charred carcase of the poor hound, who had given us so timely a warning. +He had been forgotten by his master, when we took refuge in the citadel, +constructed by him without the indispensable requisite of an air-hole. + +As we were drinking a little sugarless and milkless coffee, chancing to +turn my head, I saw something moving in a large sage-brush. + +Leaping to my feet, I started for it, and as I did so an Indian broke +from it and ran. He did this in a zigzag manner, leaping from side to +side, which rendered it a matter of extreme difficulty to fetch him. At +length, however, I was enabled to accomplish this. He must have been on +a scouting expedition from the party we had so narrowly escaped. If so, +he had not well calculated the time of his return. Half an hour later or +earlier, he might have kept his scalp. + +Although still lame, I was enabled to cover more ground on our way back +to the Ranch of George Laithrop, which we arrived at, close upon four +o'clock in the afternoon. + +A little after we had entered it, and while we were eating our supper, +Laithrop, who had been out when we got there, turned up. He was +astonished to see me, supposing I had been with the Rangers; but he had +little time to devote to the expression of any such feeling. Two mounted +Pah-utes were advancing to the house. Three months since they would have +been received as friends, so far at least as a red-skin can ever be +deemed friendly by the white man, of whom, on the slightest chance or +whim, he is ready to become the enemy. After the preceding few days, +they could merely be regarded in the light of the latter designation. + +"Let them enter, Laithrop! but without their guns. We will go into the +back-room." + +In two or three minutes the red-skins were at the door. He told them, +they must "leave" their "guns outside." They were probably upon an +expedition for spying out the nakedness of the land, and counted on +doing no immediate harm, as they consented to do this. Leaning one gun +on either side of the door, they accordingly entered the main-room of +the Ranch. Partridge and myself quitted the house by the rear doorway, +and passing round it on either side, secured their two weapons. Having +effected this, I entered the room, followed by my companion, and told +them they were "our prisoners." An indescribable mixture of rage and +fear flashed over the features of the taller red-skin. + +"The Pah-ute know Buckskin Mose. He laugh at his words, a heap." + +While saying this, he had leapt into a corner of the room, caught up an +old repeating rifle which was standing there, and struck heavily with it +at George Laithrop. Had Laithrop not dodged the blow, it would have +severely injured him. As it was, it caught him slantwise on the back and +sent him staggering across the room. + +The next instant he was struggling with myself and Partridge. + +He managed to draw his knife. + +However, this had been seen by me in time to avoid the thrust. With a +blow from my fist, I dashed him from me. At the same instant a shot from +his own Minie rifle, which Laithrop had caught up from the place where I +had laid it, passed through his breast, and he fell. + +Then I looked round for his companion. + +To my surprise, I found him on the bed in the grip of Pig-tail Bobby. +Never before had I seen a Chinaman with any fight in him. It was my +first experience of a new phase in the character of the "Heathen +Chinee." Bobby's knife was out, and in another minute the Pah-ute's +life-blood would have been staining the blankets. This was a most +useless proceeding, as blankets, at this time, were not over-plentiful +round Honey Lake. Therefore I pulled Pig-tail back, with a round +exclamation of disgust at the lavish profligacy of such a proceeding. + +The red-skin, however, had more leg and less pluck than his companion. +Leaping from the bed, he darted through the door, and was off. + +However, I was as quick as he was. No sooner had I seen him make for the +open, than I was after him. As I left the house I had caught up a +double-barrelled shot gun, and brought him down before he had run fifty +yards from it. + +After burying the Indians, Partridge started with me for Susanville, +taking their ponies with us. + +A few days only had passed when Harry Arnold also returned with the rest +of the Rangers. They had recaptured only a few head of cattle. The rest +of the herd had been killed by the thieving red-skins, in the same +cowardly manner which I have elsewhere detailed. + +One might have fancied the lesson they had received at Mud Springs, and +the close pursuit which had induced their main body to resort to this +expedient, would have kept them quiet. It, however, did not. The +periodical lust for robbery and bloodshed which seems, from time to +time, to possess them, had mastered their nature. More complete +punishment could alone stop it. + +A week later, George Laithrop sent me a pressing demand to come down +with a few of the boys and pass some time with him. Two Pah-utes had +recently appeared at the Ranch, and told him they had seen Buckskin Mose +and himself kill their two companions and bury them. They had then +threatened him with prompt vengeance, openly telling him that they +intended not only to kill him and burn his house in a few days, but to +slaughter every white man in the valley. + +It must be owned that the open hardihood of these threats looked +ominous. The red-skin so seldom threatens before he strikes, that it +seemed to me the dwellers about the Lake might be exposed to a graver +danger from the Indians, than any they had as yet incurred. + +In consequence of this belief, my men were at once summoned. The same +day we started for George's Ranch, and got there after nightfall. On +consulting with Laithrop, it was considered advisable to keep the +Rangers as much out of sight as possible, to prevent the red-skins from +realizing how well he was protected. In compliance with this idea, only +some half-dozen of the boys, amongst whom was Tom Harvey and myself, +became occupants of the house. Half of the remainder were stationed in a +large log _corral_ about one hundred yards distant on the south side. +The rest were secreted in an old root-shed, or rather in the cellar of +one, to the west. + +George and myself sat by the burning logs on his hearth, talking on +until a late hour. + +Our subject was the red man, and he bitterly denounced the way in which +our Government dealt with such a grave subject. It was, he said, +continually patting them on the back, and buying a temporary truce. +This, he believed, made the Indians actually think that a power which +had only to plant its heel firmly upon them and crush them out of +existence, actually feared their strength. "Greater liars, more +unblushing thieves, as well as more reckless murderers," he continued, +never existed. And these were the men whom Uncle Sam protected against +his own children, whenever the blue-coats appeared upon the frontier. + +Nor can I affirm but that he is, in the main, right. It is only by +terrible punishment for their crimes, the whites are able to keep the +red-skins within anything like reasonable bounds. + +My knowledge of them, up to this time, vouched for the necessity of +such retaliation. In no case which I have yet recounted had the settlers +commenced an Indian war, if these struggles are entitled to such a name. +When we struck, the blow was called for, by gross outrage or bloodier +murder. Since I had met and known them, I had encountered no red-skin +who had dealt squarely with me, except the father of Clo-ke-ta and Old +Spotted Tail. And, possibly, of all the tribes I had yet any +acquaintance with, the Pah-utes possessed the fewest virtues and the +most thorough vices. George Laithrop's opinion of the Indian, founded in +a great measure upon their character, was, in a fuller or lesser degree, +shared by all who had ever been brought in contact with them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + A LITTLE COMPASSION--WHITE FOLLY AND RED TREACHERY--A SQUEAK FOR + LIFE--MAKING TRACKS--FEMALE SOCIETY--A TASTE OF WESTERN + CIVILIZATION--DEFERRING A HONEY-MOON--THE ARMY OFFICER--TRAILING + AND SPOTTING--A CHANCE TO LOOK AT A LITTLE INDIAN + FIGHTING--WRATHFUL AND RIGHTEOUS BUNCOMBE--FORCED TO BEND ONE'S + HEAD--MIRTH EVEN AT THE POINT OF DEATH. + + +We had not to wait long for the red-skins to attempt carrying out their +late threats. On this occasion, we also had a good example afforded us +of their gratitude, and keen sense of obligation for kindness. + +About ten o'clock on the following day, I discovered some thirty-five or +forty of them descending the side of the mountain near the Ranch, on +their ponies. Tom Harvey was at the moment standing by me. He recognized +an Indian at their head whom he had almost, as he himself expressed it, +raised. He had lived with Tom for several years, and on one occasion, +had saved Tom's life. Naturally enough, old love for the lad, who was +now barely eighteen years of age, moved Harvey's bowels strongly with +compassion. + +Being, as my readers already know, a largely fat man, his compassion for +the young Pah-ute was as oilily large and full-sized. + +To state matters briefly, he wished to save him, and applied to me for +permission to go out and warn him to leave. + +"If I grant it, you must keep your tongue still, upon our being here." + +"In course I will, Cap!" + +"Not one word must you utter about our presence at the Ranch." + +"D'yer think I'm a fool, Cap?" + +Well! It can be no use to induce the belief that I did not wish him to +go. Perhaps, at the time, owing to my conversation with Laithrop on the +night before, I may have fancied we had judged the red rascals too +harshly. Possibly--but there is no reason for my hesitation, or beating +the cover. I may as well have it out, at once. The truth is, like an +idiot, I permitted him to constitute himself good adviser to the one +red-skin in particular, and necessarily to the others in general. + +With my full sympathy he walked towards the Indians, and motioned to him +he had recognized, to come forward. The young Pah-ute advanced. + +Tom spoke to him, and the red-skin replied, making a gesture of dissent +as he did so. After this Harvey continued long and earnestly, apparently +urging him warmly to induce his colored friends to desist from their +hostile intentions. The Indian, with an emphatic movement of the arm, +seemed positively to refuse attempting to bring them to any such +concession. It was then I saw the Ranger point in the direction of the +_corral_ in which I had stationed portion of my men. + +Immediately that I saw this, I became aware of the folly I had been +guilty of, even more clearly than Harvey himself, soon afterwards, was +of his. + +The young red-skin turned at once to his companions, pointing to the +_corral_, and uttering a few rapid words. Then I saw Tom Harvey rushing +back towards me, while the Pah-utes fired a volley on the house or shed +to which the Ranger's insane frankness had directed them. It was merely +made of boards, an inch in thickness, reared end-ways. Their bullets +riddled it, with the rattle of a storm of hail. All we could do in +return was to fire on them from the _corral_ and the house, as they +turned tail and urged their ponies up the mountain they had been +descending. We saw five or six of them reel in their saddles. But they +were prevented from falling from them, by their companions, until the +whole of them were out of sight. + +One of our own men had been instantly killed by their volley. + +My wish was to follow them instantly. But, in this instance, my orders +were not attended to. The boys had rushed upon Harvey and seized him. +They were already violently discussing the question whether they should +shoot or hang him for the crime he had committed. It was fortunate for +him that my wrath, as well as that of Arnold and Painter, although +fierce enough, was scarcely so savage as theirs was. Brighton Bill and +Butch', I knew, would stand by me in almost any case, whether they +agreed with me or not. If matters came to the worst, I also felt certain +that we might count upon the assistance of George Laithrop. Rushing +amongst them, it was with no small violence, and even a fierce blow or +two, that I struggled to the side of the pale and weaponless Harvey, and +wrenched him from their hands. + +"What are you doing--Rangers?" + +"A' going to hang him, darned quick." + +"Without even a trial?" I demanded. + +"We'll jist try him, arterwards." + +"Then, by God!" I said, "you will have to hang me and try me +afterwards, too." As they paused for perhaps half a minute, I continued +without giving them a chance to speak. "I believed you chose me your +Captain, yet here you are going to hang one of my boys, without letting +me say a single word." + +"Say it darned sharp, then, Cap!" + +"And give us your orders to run him up with a rope, or put a bullet +through his skull, in two minutes," roared out another. + +As they were again crowding up and one of them had grasped Harvey by the +collar, Ben Painter, followed by Arnold, had struggled to my side and +thrust him back. + +"I tell yer," he shouted out, for otherwise he would scarcely have been +heard, "Mose is right. He's Captain. We mustn't have any Vigilance +Committee business, but do up things square." + +"We'll take him down to Susanville, and give him a fair trial," added +Arnold. + +"And then yer can hang him, if yer choose to," exclaimed Butch'. "Yer'll +only have tu wait twenty-four hours." + +By this time, the last speaker and Brighton Bill had vigorously thrust +their way to my side, and I felt I had a sufficient support to carry my +point and save Harvey from the menacing rope and tree which had so +lately reared themselves before him. + +But he also seemed to feel his increased chance of safety, and anxious +to improve it, attempted to commence defending himself. When, however, +he did so, I cut him short with a fierce whisper, announcing to him that +if he uttered "a single word," I would abandon him. The Rangers were in +a moment of such wild excitement, that, had he spoken, every effort we +might have made would have been useless. Their savage fury would very +speedily have settled the question, in spite of us. Even as it was, we +had to contend with them for more than an hour, before we had calmed +them down sufficiently to listen to our arguments. + +When this was at last effected, I placed him in the charge of Painter +and Brighton Bill, while we buried the man who had been slain through +his insane want of judgment. + +That night we slept in George Laithrop's house, and on the following +morning we were no sooner stirring, than it was discovered that while we +had been sleeping, Tom Harvey had been awake. In other words, he had +made tracks. + +It must be remembered that there was scarcely one of our party who, +while engaged in active work, looking after the Indians, was not in the +habit of keeping one eye at least half-open in the hours of his +intermittent rest. Possibly, however, it was the belief that there was +no actual danger immediately around us, as well as the security Tom's +size and weight appeared to afford against any attempt on his part to +escape, that prevented our slumbers from being broken. At all events, it +was difficult for us to realize the fact that he had managed it. We were +all of us sleeping upon the floor of the house. Our blankets were all we +had. Beds were then a scarcity, in this portion of the West, as, indeed, +they would be now, at any Ranch in a section of it not too thickly +populated. How the deuce he managed to step over the prostrate forms of +so many of us as were lying between him and the door, without disturbing +one of the sleepers, it would be impossible to say. Had he made the +error of half an inch, in placing one of his feet upon the ground, he +could not have failed to waken the Ranger on whose body or limbs he must +have trodden. Fear had evidently much lightened his person. In addition +to this, I could not help suspecting that George Laithrop had connived +at his escape. Of course, there was a frightful commotion about it +amongst the boys, whose feelings of security amongst themselves had been +so unpleasantly dispelled by his conduct. George, however, escaped +without the slightest suspicion. If any one was imagined to have aided +and abetted his flight it was myself and Harry Arnold. In fact, as we +were riding back to Susanville, Butch' could not help saying: + +"I'm darned if yer didn't manage the thing well, Mose." + +After this, none of us again alluded to it. Life was too active and full +of daily excitement, to give us time for recalling such an event after +it had reckoned itself with the doings of the past. + +Only once since then, did I hear anything of "Fatty." He had been seen +by a trapper on the Humboldt River, and had then said he was on the way +to Salt Lake City. He may possibly by this time have become a Mormon, +and been enrolled as an elder of that polygamous community. + +Some time in July, 1862, I received a letter from the last-named place. +A few months earlier I had written to my wife, begging her to come to +me, and giving her directions how to cross the Plains. This letter was +from her. She had immediately complied with my wishes, and requested me +to meet her as soon after she left Salt Lake as might be possible. It +would be impossible to express the delight which I felt in knowing she +was so near me. None of those who have not experienced the pleasures of +a life with little female society, and no near female relative to whom +they can unbosom all their joy as well as all their weariness, +discomfort, and trouble, can realize it. In the excess of my +gratification, I fear I must have exposed myself to the laughter and +jocularity as well as the envy of many of my comrades, as I cannot doubt +but that, in my first moments of well-nigh delirious pleasure, I must +have made a complete fool of myself. + +Almost immediately, I left Susanville for Virginia City, Nevada. Thence, +I went to Dayton. + +Here I met an overland stage-driver. From him I heard that he had passed +a train at Austin, in which I might find my wife. Accordingly, I +purchased a horse and side-saddle from the keeper of the hotel, who was +named Jaquish, and on the succeeding day was again in the saddle. + +Dan Vanderhoof, a friend of mine whom I had known for several years, +accompanied me portion of the way to Carson City. I went to this place +with the view of meeting Colonel P. E. Connor with his command of +California Volunteers. My friend introduced me to him and Major +Gallagher, and I was asked to accompany them some eight miles down the +Carson River to Reed's Station. It was to talk upon "business." +Otherwise, I should have certainly declined deviating from the road, so +increasingly anxious was I to see the little woman from whom I had so +long been separated. + +This business was, after the evening meal, speedily arranged. + +They needed a guide and scout through Idaho and Utah, in the Fall. My +qualifications as the last, would counterbalance any deficiency I might +have as to the first-named. The necessary details were quickly agreed +upon, and early on the next morning I was crossing the Desert towards +the big bend of the Carson River. On the day following this, I came upon +a large train of stock, and one of the guides told me a larger train was +then some four miles behind them, at a distance of something more than a +mile from the main track. Pushing on at once, in less than half an hour +I came in sight of the encampment. + +While I was riding up to it, my wife recognized me. How she was able to +do so, has, on thinking the matter over, always astonished me. The tan +of exposure on the frontier, fuller muscle, and the general style of my +dress and equipment, had so thoroughly changed my personal appearance. + +However, she certainly did know me. As for her, I should have recognized +her features, even had she been dressed in the unsightly garb of an +Esquimaux. + +It would be little use for me to detail the words and actions of this +meeting. Any man who has been so long separated from his wife as I had +been, and any female who had, for so long a period, not seen the face of +her husband, will readily imagine what passed between us. We were, +nevertheless, quickly compelled to bring our outburst of natural joy to +an end, by the approach of Chart Gregory with Mr. and Mrs. Devine, and +others of her companions on the train. Then I heard of all the trouble +she had been exposed to, and more especially of a fellow named Mat +Carpenter, who had been consistently unkind to her since they had first +struck the Plains. He had been an old school-mate of hers, and had +displayed the memory of their childish intimacy, by doing all he +possibly could to increase the discomfort she had experienced in her +preliminary taste of Western civilization. + +"You needn't look round for him, Mr. P----," said Gregory, as he saw my +eyes wandering round the camp, with an ominous look for him. "No sooner +had your lady recognized you, than the scamp cleared out." + +At the instant, the employment of my real name, for the first time in so +many years, as well as the polite appellation he had bestowed on "Mrs. +P----," so completely astonished me, that I momentarily lost my +self-possession. After this I could not help laughing, as my wife also +did, although she, very certainly, could not comprehend the motive which +induced such an audible peal of merriment on my part. Then she told me +that Mr. Gregory had already thrashed Mat, some two days since. At the +same time he had told him, I should be made acquainted with his conduct +the moment that I met the train. This very clearly accounted for his +disappearance, without waiting for an introduction. + +Having adjusted the side-saddle for my wife, and seen that she was +safely mounted, I took behind me what positively needful articles she +might require. With a friendly farewell upon our part, and a grateful +leave-taking on mine to those of her fellow-travellers who had shown her +kindness, we started across the great Desert. + +Continuing all night, we broke fast next morning at one of the stage +stations, and after resting for an hour, once more started. + +From this point the road followed the river, and in my anxiety to save +some eight or ten miles of a track which I knew must be toilsome in the +extreme to a female whose life had not been passed in this part of the +country, I cut across the low range of hills by an old Indian trail. +When, however, I observed some Indians approaching from our right, I +recognized the want of caution I had displayed. Without calling my +wife's attention to their dark specks in the distance, for they were a +long way from us, I urged the horses into a sharp gallop, trusting they +might not have seen us. But the red man has eyes quite as keen as the +white ranger. They changed their course, with the evident purpose of +cutting us off from the river. + +My decision was rapidly formed. + +Knowing we should soon mount a small ridge, and should on its far side +be unseen by them for some time, we had no sooner crossed it, than I +turned left into the ravine known as Six-mile Cañon. Pushing rapidly up +this, we made our escape, and I did not mention the narrow chance we had +run of an Indian fight, until my wife and myself were in sight of +Virginia City. + +This was, I may undoubtedly say, the first case in which I had turned +tail on the red-skins without an interchange of hostile salutations. + +On arriving at Susanville, my friends told me that the Indians had, the +day before, killed Loomis Kellogg and a man of the name of Block, beside +wounding Theodore Perdum, at a place more than half-way between +Laithrop's Ranch and Mud Springs. They had been attacked by a party of +Indians, which were generally in the vicinity of Honey Lake and closely +upon the Humboldt. These had been baptized by the settlers as the +Smoke-creek tribe, although by no means a tribe in the same sense as the +Pah-utes and Modocs were. + +This band of red-skins was composed of the offscourings of these two +tribes who had either fled or been chased from them, simply because they +were too scoundrelly and contemptibly degraded, in the eyes of their +original brethren, to be trusted or consorted with. + +Smoke-creek Sam was their chief. He had earned this pre-eminence by +being, at long odds, not only the most blood-thirsty villain in this +gang of red devils, but perhaps the most irredeemable ruffian the Indian +history of the West can chronicle. The outrages in which he and his band +had been involved, both at our immediate expense and that of all the +settlers anywhere in our vicinity, were well-nigh numberless. During the +past year, whether Uncle Sam's patience had been worn out by the +accounts he had received of his namesake's rascally and bloody offences, +or from a wish to make some capital in the East by bestowing a little +affection on his Western nephew, it would be impossible to say. He, +however, condescended to bestow a little attention upon Smoke-creek Sam. +Some blue-coats had been sent out, and two military posts had been +formed. These were, respectively, on Smoke and Granite Creeks, in the +centre of the sweep of country exposed to this scoundrel's depredations. + +For a short time, he became somewhat quieter; but as the blue-coats did +not busy themselves in punishing him, he had again plucked up courage, +and since the Pah-ute troubles had anew commenced, was, once more, on +the war-trail. + +Harry Arnold had already called the Buckskin Rangers together, and they +had determined upon starting for the purpose, if possible, of completely +exterminating Smoke-creek Sam and his gang of cut-throats. My presence +in Susanville was speedily known by them, and I was unanimously called +to take my position as the leader in this expedition. + +The second honey-moon of my one marriage was, therefore, brought to an +end, or, rather, indefinitely deferred. It had, most certainly, scarcely +begun, unless the commencement of such an agreeable period of life may +be supposed to take place in the saddle, and in flight from a party of +hostile Indians. + +Short time was allowed me to make my wife as comfortable as the +exigencies of the moment permitted. The little woman submitted to them +like a veritable heroine. + +In something less than an hour, we were on our way to the spot where the +murders had taken place. While going, we were joined by two companies of +soldiers, ordered out for the same purpose. Captain Knight was in +command of them; and shortly after we had passed Summit Lake, and +reached the place where Fort Warner now stands, I touched on a fresh +Indian trail. + +My readers will not be unlikely to inquire how in the dry season of the +year, when the cracked and parched earth takes no footprint, I was able +to discern it. A small pebble here and there, freshly turned over, or a +few stones formed into a sign for other red-skins, either to tell the +day of the month on which they passed,[1] or indicate the period of the +year, are more than sufficient to the ordinary scout and trapper. In +this case the first sign of a trail had been sufficient for me. It was +clear that a very large number of the red-skins were in front of us, +and, very certainly, scarcely as much as twelve hours ahead. + +Consequently I sent Arnold up the side of the mountain, to see whether +the red-skins might not be still in our neighborhood. + +The Rangers were on foot, and I and Harry had been in advance of them. +As I now continued, Captain Knight overtook me, almost immediately after +I had been joined by Brighton Bill and most of the other boys. + +"They say, Mose, you are on the trail?" + +"So I am, Captain." + +"I can see nothing!" + +"Perhaps not. It needs quick eyes to follow this one." + +"If there really is one," he said sharply. + +His tone was not the most agreeably confiding possible, and I raised my +eyes from the ground on which they had hitherto been fixed, to +contemplate him, when Bill inquired: + +"'Ow long, Cap, was hit since the blamed cusses went by 'ere?" + +"From four to six hours. Possibly, something more," was my answer. + +The officer gave utterance to a low and very dubious whistle, which +unmistakably suggested a disbelief in the authority Bill had appealed +to. On hearing it the Ranger's bronzed face flushed, and he turned on +the captain, exclaiming: + +"What hin 'ell do you know habout hit? Hi'll bet my bottom dollar, Mose +hain't made no mistake." + +"Well, my lads," said Knight, who, I must do him justice, immediately +saw the mistake he had made, "go ahead, if you feel so confoundedly sure +of the rascals." + +"In course we are," put in Butch'. "You just leave Mose alone, and we'll +have their hair, afore night." + +By this time, Arnold had rejoined us. He had as yet seen nothing. +Leaving him, therefore, to follow the trail, I went up the mountain to +try my luck. As I reached its summit, and cast a careless glance down +the other side, which was bare of timber, I caught sight of what I +believed must be our Indians. Some juniper trees concealed me. +Descending a few paces on the side where I had left the boys, I swung my +hat. They understood my meaning and came to a halt. Arnold and Painter +very soon joined me, and carefully concealing our movements, we crept +again to the summit. As they coincided with me, we immediately returned +to our party. + +Upon informing Captain Knight of what we had seen, he condescended to +express his gratification, and immediately ordered his men to continue +the trail we had hitherto been pursuing, and follow the red-skins round +the far side of the mountain. + +On my venturing to suggest that he had better send only a portion of his +men up the valley, he inquired what reason induced me to advise such a +division of his command. + +"All the red devils are smart enough, Captain! Smoke-creek Sam is 'cuter +than every Yankee pedler rolled into one, if that one had been between +Honey Lake and the Humboldt for the last five years." + +"Well! What if he is?" + +"He's sure to smell us out. But if you will give me part of your men, I +will take them with my boys across the mountain. Between us, not a +red-skin shall escape." + +"That's so, Captain!" said Harry Arnold, emphatically. "Mose gives good +advice." + +Whether or no Harry's opinion was so little flattering to his own +judgment or not, that he was riled by the preference given to my +counsel, modestly as it had been offered him, I am unable to say. With +an obstinacy which may be a good thing in regular war, but is surely the +reverse of it in following Indians, he would neither abandon his +previous determination, nor give me one of his men. He, indeed, did all +but order me to continue with him. + +My back was now up. To his astonishment he found out that I was to the +full as--perhaps, even more determined to have my own way in a matter I +thoroughly understood, than he was. Possibly, although I do not like to +venture such an opinion touching any of Uncle Sam's servants, he may +have had no wish to catch the red-skins. In entertaining such a +disinclination, he would only be imitating too closely the general +policy of our respected relative. + +Whatever his wish may have been, I ordered the boys to their saddles, +and leaving him, struck a long cañon we had recently passed, which led +us almost to the spot on which the Indians had just been sighted, whom +Arnold and Ben Painter as well as myself believed to be the Smoke-creek +gang. When we reached the valley in which they were, we found ourselves +immediately ahead of the course they were taking. + +No sooner had they spotted our party, which it was easy to do, in a +tract of country almost entirely bare of foliage of any description, +than they came to a halt. + +We were yet far beyond rifle-range, and I actually thought they were +going to give us the chance of a fair and square stand-up fight. + +True, however, to their invariable character, the red men thought twice +upon the matter. Turning from us they started up the valley, in the +direction Knight's command was coming. However, they did not continue +their retreat (it was a tolerably rapid one, as our pursuit also was) +for more than a mile. Here they plunged into a rocky gorge on their +left. Fancying that they might intend drawing the Rangers into a trap, I +sent Brighton Bill and four others up the right side of the gorge, which +was the most precipitous. Ben Painter, and some half-dozen more, were +told to mount the other side. My directions were that they should +advance as quickly as was possible, so that they might be able to head +the party we were pursuing. It was fortunate that the ground presented +tolerably rough travelling for horses, or, as they had necessarily +dismounted, it would have been impossible for them to do this. + +After pursuing the uneven and broken track in the centre of the gorge +for a considerable length, perhaps some three-quarters of a mile, it +turned suddenly to the right. + +Here it formed a deep and irregular basin, from which there was only one +means of escape. + +This was a narrow and rocky defile, running up the steep side of the +cañon. As they saw us behind them, they endeavored to mount this. + +Bill, and the boys who were with him, had, however, moved too quickly. +Scarcely had they entered the defile, than he administered them a sharp +warning to retreat. + +Astounded by the totally unexpected warmth with which they had been +saluted, they faced round, with the intention of fighting their way +through their pursuers. + +Upon reaching the bend of the gorge, at which it widened into this +basin, Ben's party received them with a round volley. + +The red-skins now knew they were fairly trapped, and drawing back into +the basin, commenced, with the fragments of rock, to pile up a rude sort +of breastwork. As the boys were dismounting for active business, a +blue-coat suddenly appeared upon the scene. The soldiers had reached the +mouth of the gorge, and Captain Knight had despatched him to find out +what the firing he had heard, meant. + +It must be owned, this was a sufficiently curious question. As Arnold +not unnaturally asked the sergeant, who addressed it to me: + +"What the devil could it mean?" + +I replied even more sharply: + +"You can see for yourself. If the Captain wishes to look at a little +real Indian fighting, he's got a chance." + +Time and words were, at this moment, too valuable for me to waste any +more of them. I again turned to the work on hand, and the blue-coat rode +back. It may be suspected he was glad enough to do so, as Indian bullets +and arrows were at the time rather lively. We were left to finish the +affair, without the slightest assistance from the paid servants of Uncle +Sam. As we subsequently had reason to know, this was not, however, +owing to any want of courage on the part of Captain Knight. His men had +proved too cowardly to lend us a hand. They did not relish exposing +themselves to the Indians. Neither the angry commands nor threatening +appeals of their indignant officer could in any way induce them to give +us an effective support. + +Wrathful as we not unnaturally felt, we had no opportunity at the +instant of discussing the matter with that righteous amount of Buncombe, +which is, in similar cases, so gratifying to the average American mind. + +It should be mentioned, nevertheless, that one of the boys became +fearfully disgusted with the conduct of his paid protectors. + +Indeed, Mart Gilbert, for such was his name, jumped from behind the mass +of rock under which he was crouching. In his rage he actually executed +an indignant _pas seul_, as I should in my earlier years have styled it, +in the very face of the enemy. While displaying his maniacal agility, he +roared out for any "darned red skunk" to show himself and fight him. +None of those to whom he addressed himself, however, displayed any wish +to accept his invitation. But, naturally enough, they thought they had +an excellent chance afforded them for picking him off. A regular storm +of bullets and arrows rang and whistled round him. + +Fortune generally seems to have a sympathy with madness. + +It certainly had so in this instance. Not one of these missiles even +scraped his body. And before a second volley could be discharged at him, +with, in all probability, a more successful result for the red-skins, +Painter had crept to a point from which he could rake them a second +time. This volley was delivered at short range and, as an officer of +the regular army might say, destroyed their _morale_. As Ben +subsequently thought proper to say, in a more vernacular phrase than I +choose at present to employ, it impaired their digestion. + +Seeing the disorder into which they were thrown, I gave the boys the +order to advance. + +My words were not quite rapid enough. The boys Brighton Bill had with +him were once more in a position available for following the example +those with Painter had set them. + +Demoralized as they were by the second volley, the red-skins +nevertheless exhibited what Saxons denominate pluck, and made a furious +rush upon the main body of their assailants, meeting us about half-way +up to their breastworks. Our work was now short and thorough. + +Harry and myself had not dismounted. He was a capital horseman, and rode +in Comanche style, better even than I did. It was in this fashion that +he approached an old Indian who was literally hailing his arrows at us, +and shot him from under the neck of his horse. Ridding his hand of the +revolver which was attached to his wrist by a strap, he rushed the +animal past his prostrate enemy, and took his scalp very neatly, almost +at the same instant recovering his seat. + +The red-skin, however, although dropped by Arnold's shot, very evidently +disapproved of the loss of his hair. Raising himself from the ground, +precisely at the moment when the former reappeared above the back of his +horse, he let fly another arrow. + +This struck Harry in the back of the neck, immediately behind the +vertebral bones, passing directly through it for more than half its +length. + +No time was given the Indian for another shot, as I was sufficiently +near to settle him. + +"I say, Mose! lend me a hand." + +On looking round, I could not forbear laughing. The manner in which the +arrow had passed through Arnold's neck compelled him to protrude his +head in front of him in such a strangely quaint fashion. Mirth would +have been compulsory, even in one at the point of death. + +Of course, while laughing, I had pulled out the unpleasant addition to +his muscular anatomy. + +Upon counting the bodies of the dead, we found seventeen. The remainder +of the party had managed to effect an escape. + +After this we returned to the mouth of the gorge, where we did not find +Captain Knight and the blue-coats waiting for us. We felt considerably +mortified by the fact, that although the slain red-skins might have been +a portion of Smoke-creek Sam's band, he himself was, as decidedly, not +amongst them. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] These stones are ranged in a circle or semicircle, to indicate the +quarter of the moon. Within these, the number of fragments of rock +calendars the number of days from it. Other signs tell whether these +indications are left by a war or hunting party, and how many of them +there are. There are, besides, other marks, which tell whether the deer +is in the velvet and all the changes it is subject to, which are +invaluable to the hunter who is able to read them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT A HONEY-MOON--LEARNING AND LOVING--TWO + UNEXPECTED RECRUITS--PLENTY OF WORK TO DO--A FEW OF THE + SAINTS--WHAT A PITY HE IS NOT AN INDIAN--SIGHTING THE ENEMY-- + FREEZING WEATHER--SOME CLEVER GENERALSHIP--THE FIGHT IN THE RIVER-- + A NARROW ESCAPE--DESTROYING SUPPLIES--A LITTLE MINING--HOME AGAIN. + + +On returning to Susanville, I had the satisfaction of resuming my +interrupted honey-moon, and learning from my wife in our lovingly long +talks together, much about my friends, which no letter is ever +voluminous enough to tell. To say the truth, letters are nothing but the +headings of the chapters of life, condensed according to the peculiar +temperament of the writer. Sometimes, they give scarcely any idea of the +real contents. Not infrequently, they afford an unqualifiedly false +index to that which they are in a measure supposed to represent. + +Moreover, she was far more of a woman than she had been. Self-dependence +had in a measure changed her, as my life on the frontier had altered me. + +I had to re-study her nature, as she very certainly had to re-learn +mine. + +There were many moments when, in spite of her love I caught her studying +my face as if she was scarcely able to realize how completely the crude +civilization of frontier-life had warped mine, for the better or the +worse. While I, as frequently, detected myself wondering at the change a +few years of absence had made in the girl I had loved well enough to +tie myself to for life. + +Yet, I believe, the change was not an unpleasant one to either of us. At +least, I may safely affirm that it was not so to me. + +The summer and great portion of the autumn passed but too quickly. Some +few weeks of them had been spent with the boys at our mining claims on +the Humboldt. Nor were we, on the whole, unsuccessful, having made a +tolerably fair pile, in reward for our labor. When the autumn was nearly +over, my companions went up the river as far as Gravelly Ford, with the +intention of pitching their camp there for the winter. This was with the +purpose of hunting and trapping. I had to keep the agreement already +made with Colonel Connor. After leaving my pet bear, Charley, in the +care of Butch', with whom he was almost as friendly as he was with me, +I, therefore, again rejoined my wife for a brief time, while I commenced +my preparations. + +These were prolonged until the last moment, when I was astonished by a +visit from Harry Arnold and Brighton Bill, whom I had left scarcely more +than a week since at Gravelly Ford. In my surprise I asked: + +"What, in the name of Heaven! brings you back here?" + +"Can't you guess, Mose?" Harry asked. + +"Has anything happened?" + +"Nothing particular." + +This was the reply of the previous speaker, as Bill added, with his +peculiarly British pronunciation: + +"We've made h'up hour minds to pull h'up stakes and join you." + +"What do you really mean?" + +The question was far from an unnatural one. My engagement with the +Colonel had been repeatedly talked over with the boys when they were +present. Neither of them, up to this time, had displayed the slightest +indication of a desire to accompany me. + +"To henlist with hour Cap!" exclaimed Bill. + +"That's exactly what we mean." + +I was but too glad to have them with me, and felt sure Connor would be +even more pleased. A few hours were sufficient for them to get ready, +and on the following morning the three of us quitted Susanville. + +For some hours after leaving it, I felt as I had never before done, when +starting on any expedition. The tear-blurred eyes of my wife kept +painting themselves before me. It must be remembered how long we had +been separated from each other, and how recently, for the second time, +we had again commenced married life. Even the gay jests of Arnold, and +the coarser, but equally well-meant consolation of Brighton Bill, failed +to restore my usually blithe spirits until the noon was long past. + +Movement and action, however, possess a large degree of comfort in them. + +By this time I had recovered my equanimity, and on the following day I +was as gay as either of them. Nothing of note beyond the common everyday +occurrences of travel of this class occurred while we were on our road, +until we reached Egan Cañon. Here we met some of Connor's men, who had +been stationed there to protect the Overland stages. Thence we passed +through Camp Floyd to Stockton, where we found the Colonel's command +encamped near a small lake. Both he and Major Gallagher welcomed me in +the most cordial manner. On presenting my two companions, whose names +were well known to both of them, this cordiality was greatly increased. + +"I knew we had secured one good man when we got you to join us," said +Connor. "But I little thought you would bring us two more, as good as +yourself." + +He then informed us that we might take things as easily as we chose for +the next few days, after which, he quietly said, he trusted to give us +plenty of work. Arnold replied: + +"The more of it, Colonel, the better." + +The hearty readiness with which this answer was made, seemed to please +him very much. When, shortly after, he left us, I heard him say to +Gallagher: + +"We are in luck, Major!" + +Nor can I be charged with undue vanity, in supposing his congratulatory +sentence referred to myself and my two companions. + +We necessarily resigned ourselves to the comfort or discomfort, as man +chooses to consider it, of doing nothing for the following week, or +somewhat less. One morning, however, we were startled by a visit from +the notorious Port Rockwell, Bill Hickman, Lot Smith, and others of the +so-called Mormon Danites. Why they came was, of course, none of our +business. Yet, we had heard too much of them to fail in examining them +closely, and I am free to own I was not too deeply impressed by the +sanctity of their appearance. The greater portion of them were, however, +pretty muscular examples of saintship, and exhibited, what I always +supposed they would, considerable oiliness as a veneer to their even +less pure and peaceable proclivities. While we were inspecting them, I +could not refrain from asking Arnold what he thought of them. He +delayed a minute or two in making his reply, and Brighton Bill improved +the occasion by propounding to me in a solemn, and exceedingly audible +voice, the following query: + +"H'i say, Mose! 'ave they h'all ha dozen wives h'apiece?" + +"I suppose so, Bill," I replied with a quiet smile. + +"'Eaven take care of 'em!" he ejaculated with a mournful air of pity. + +"What? of these fellows?" + +"No! Mose! H'of the poor lambs that hare tied hup to such ha blamed lot +of Turks. H'if Hi had my will with the blackguards, Hi'd lock 'em hup, +hin the Hold Bailey, or," he added reflectively, as if he feared I might +not understand the character of the place he had alluded to, "four +prison-walls for the 'ole of their life." + +My companion had announced his views, with regard to the Danites, in +tones which were something too loud. They were very evidently heard by +Bill Hickman, who turned to look at him. As he did so, Harry for the +first time spoke in a voice whose pitch was decidedly intended to reach +the saintly ears. + +"A truly delightful face, Mose!" + +"Do you think so?" + +"How I wish he was a red-skin!" + +"Blamed hif you h'arn't right, Hank!" cried Bill, "'ow neat you could +track and wipe 'im hout." + +The part of this conversation which had been audible to Hickman, could +scarcely have been highly agreeable. + +Very certainly, I never saw a more diabolical scowl spread over any +face, than did over his. It was, however, no very great length of time +before they left us. + +"I would scarcely advise you, Harry! to come in St. Hickman's way," I +remarked when they were quitting the camp, "without having your revolver +quite ready." + +"I don't intend to, Mose!" he replied, with a sharp laugh. + +Some two days after this, Colonel Connor detailed me to accompany a +detachment under the command of Lieutenant Ether, up through the Bear +River country. Arnold was assigned to another, which was to take the +road through Ogden Cañon, while a third was provided with Brighton Bill +as a guide, and were to go in the direction of Goose Creek and the City +of Rocks. The two parties were to meet near Soda Springs. + +Our detachment had only been out for a few days,[2] when I, who was a +long way in advance, sighted a large body of Indians. Necessarily I fell +back, and reported this to the officer in command. He immediately sent +information of this to Colonel Connor. Afterwards, I heard that the two +other parties had made a similar discovery, and sent him intelligence to +the same effect. He immediately ordered his whole command to march +towards Bear River, having sent instructions to the remaining +detachments. The interval which elapsed before he joined us, was passed +by me in keeping a keen look-out for the Indians. From the very first, I +had seen that the colonel was a widely different class of officer from +any of the servants of Uncle Sam I had yet met. If he meant business, it +would be a pity to balk good intentions, and it should not be my fault +if he failed to have plenty of it. Consequently, I did not feel +disposed to let the red-skins slip, from my neglect to keep my eyes wide +open. + +No sooner had he joined us and received my daily reports from Lieutenant +Ether, as well as the last one from myself, than he, in person, made a +_reconnoissance_. + +The result was, that he came to the conclusion already formed by me, +that the Indians were concentrating their forces on Bear River. + +It was in the dead of winter, and the temperature was intensely cold. +The soldiers were suffering dreadfully, and but for the kindness and +precaution of their colonel for them, many must have been lost or have +perished by their exposure. He was a very strict disciplinarian. There +was, however, not one of his men who did not love him the better for an +inflexibility which was equally resolute in as far as possible providing +for their comfort. This case was clearly one of necessity. If the +Indians moved in this bitterly freezing weather, his men were obliged to +move also. Nor did he shrink from sharing their sufferings and labors. + +Consequently, on the following morning we started early on our way up +the river, continuing until we were within ten miles of the Soda +Springs. + +Here, we saw the red-skins encamped in a strong position on the other +side of the stream. It was almost a natural fortification, being +protected by a deep cañon and huge rocks. While we were advancing, they +fired on us. Their shots, however, failed. We were out of the range of +their guns. Colonel Connor's dispositions for the attack were simple in +the extreme, but very masterly. He ordered one party up the river to +occupy a bluff which projected into it. Another was sent down the stream +to take their position on the bank which commanded it, at no very great +distance. The fire from either spot commanded the passage of the river. + +When these two points were held, he ordered the main body to ford the +stream, still keeping a portion of his force in reserve. + +Bitterly cold as the water was, and as I found it, the soldiers did not +evince the faintest shadow of hesitation when he gave the word. + +Up to this moment, I believe the red-skins did not believe that Connor +would attack them. Scarcely unreasonably, they counted too much upon +their past experiences with Uncle Sam's blue-coats. In the present case, +the blue-coats were tarred with a widely different brush. They had +barely seen us in the river, than a rolling series of yells and whoops +broke from them, which it would be utterly useless for words to attempt +giving any idea of. The wall of icily chill water they had counted on to +secure the front of their camp was useless. They had to fight, and +dashed into the stream to drive back the enemy. Not more than one minute +had they plunged into the freezing water, than from the bank and bluff +rang out the rifles of the men Connor had posted there. + +It was a terrible discharge, and drove them back. As they found +themselves on dry earth, our gallant fellows followed them. + +Dripping with the water, which would have frozen on them, but for the +savagely fierce passion of that terribly mad struggle--shooting, +clubbing, knifing, with the shouts and yells of actual devils--never do +I believe a more bitter strife, considering its numbers, has been seen +on any battle-field. It took two hours of hard fighting for us to +completely rout them. This is the first time I have ever applied such a +term to the defeat of a body of red-skins, simply because it is the +first time in which I ever saw them really stand up and fight. + +Often enough they slay when their numbers are fifteen to one, or are +slain if the proportion chances to be an inferior one. It is, +nevertheless, very rarely that they resist an open attack. This, more +especially when it is made by any force which, in number, approaches +their own. + +When the last living Indian had fled, orders had been given us to +destroy their supplies. There were several tons of dried meats, +Government bacon, sugar, with no inconsiderable amount of whiskey and +United States blankets, besides tobacco and other articles of native +luxury. The red rascals had evidently a good commissariat, and had +provided themselves for what they imagined would be a lengthy campaign. +We also found a large quantity of powder. This we rolled into the river, +and burned the rest. + +In the meantime, our men who had not been employed in this necessary +task, had been reckoning those who had been killed. + +About one hundred and nineteen dead bodies were, I believe, counted in +all. + +The effects of the battle of Bear River were for the time decisive in +pacifying this section of the country, and compelling the Indians in the +whole neighborhood to remain quiet. And, may I not here, in all proper +humility, ask our Government why it does not constantly employ such men +as Colonel Connor to enforce peace upon the red-skins. Let it give us an +Indian Bureau in the Cabinet. Place it in the control of such a man as +General Sheridan, General Cook, or other almost equally able military +men, whose names will readily suggest themselves to the reader. Give +this Bureau unchecked authority to deal with the red man. It will sweep +away the whole race of thieving Indian agents, and save the country many +a dollar, as well as many a more valuable life which at present would +seem to represent no positive value to the Government of the United +States. + +Perhaps, I should mention the narrow escape the officer, whose +detachment I had been detailed to accompany on its advance in this +direction, had, during the battle. + +It was well nigh over. He was on the summit of a small ridge of rock +which jutted from the eastern side of the camping-ground, when a +red-skin fired on him, scarcely from a distance of some twenty yards. +The ball missed Ether, but grazed the cheek of Hughey Greer, a private +who was close to him. Wheeling round, Greer saw the Indian and took him +between the eyes with a shot from his revolver, killing him instantly. +Greer subsequently received promotion. + +Naturally enough, the results of this victory enabled the Colonel to +dispense with my services, although he would willingly have retained me +longer with him. Shortly after, Arnold, Brighton Bill, and myself, +therefore started for Idaho City, with the intention of again trying our +luck in mining. We located a placer or claim on Bannock Bar, just above +the Marion Moore claim. This turned out very favorably. After working it +for nearly two months, we sold it to Henry Allen for a fairly round +price, and determined upon making our return to Honey Lake. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[2] During our absence, Colonel Connor established Camp Douglas, a few +miles from Salt Lake City. It was on a rising ground, and very +thoroughly commanded the Mormon capital. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + OFF TO THE NEW MINES--"GOD'S COUNTRY"--A SHOWER OF SPARKS--THE + CHEYENNE MAIDEN--SEEING IS BELIEVING--A SHARP WAIL--BEHIND THE + BRUSH--THE LEAP LIKE A WILD-CAT--THE EFFECT OF UNPALATABLE + NEWS--EVADING CROSS-QUESTIONING--THREE DAYS' FIGHTING--THE ENEMY + PREPARING FOR VICTORY--ADVICE FROM EXPERIENCE--TWO BRAVE + FELLOWS--BACON-FAT AND A KNIFE--WAITING AND HOPING. + + +But we were destined not to return as quietly as we had proposed doing. +Upon our arrival at Boice City, we were induced to join a company who +were going to Jordan Creek for the purpose of prospecting. It had been +made up by Jeff Stanaford and another man of the name of Jennings. After +depositing our gold-dust, therefore, with Wells, Fargo and Company, one +of whose branch-offices was in this place, we started with our new +acquaintances for the spot named, which Stanaford asserted from his own +personal knowledge, was very rich. + +All told, our party numbered some twenty-seven men well armed and +provided. + +When some three or four days out, we camped at noon, about four o'clock, +on a small rocky knoll, from the summit of which a deliciously clear and +cool spring was oozing. Round the rise of this knoll there was excellent +pasturage for our horses, and stretching beyond this on every side was a +level plain, broken up with small sage-brush. At night-fall, our horses +were brought in and picketed close to the spring. No suspicion of the +slightest danger was entertained by us. Indeed, we all of us slept +soundly during the first part of the night, save Jennings, who was on +the watch. + +Some three hour's before dawn, however, I became restless, and my +slumbers were broken. A feeling of impending danger seemed to present +itself to me, which I was unable to shake off. + +Sitting up, I looked around. The night was as dark as pitch. Nothing +could be seen by me, save the forms stretched upon the grass by the +dying embers of the camp-fire, which scarcely gave light enough to +detect them. I, however, managed to make out the figure of Jennings, who +was sitting on the ground at a little distance. He was leaning forward +upon his rifle, and was, I at once felt certain, fast asleep. + +Possibly somewhat annoyed by this carelessness, I had caught up one of +the half-extinguished brands from the fire, and was about hurling it at +him, when I felt a light hand touch my shoulder. + +The brand fell from my grasp as I rapidly turned, and the scattering +sparks thrown from its burning end showed me a face which, since I had +first looked on it, had never entirely passed from my memory. + +How it was, my lips did not give utterance to a cry of astonishment, it +is now, as it would have been then, impossible for me to say. + +There were the superbly dark eyes, whose eloquence of expression I had +never forgotten. There was that wealthy mass of raven hair, which had +crowned the head of the Cheyenne maiden, for whom I had so nearly thrust +from me the memory of the little woman I had left behind me in the East, +or "God's country," as so many of the settlers and trappers call it. + +It was Clo-ke-ta. + +As she moved slowly away, I rose to my feet and followed her. + +I seemed to be in a dream. + +All I remember is, that the sleeper near me, on my right, stirred. My +movement had startled him. He, nevertheless, did not wake. + +Pausing for an instant where the horses were picketed, I once more heard +her voice. + +Although in a whisper, it was riper, fuller and more womanly than when +it last sounded on my ears. + +"Let my brother take his horse." + +"Why should he do so?" I asked in a tone no louder than hers had been. + +"My brother must have many miles between himself and this place, before +the dawn." + +"And why?" + +"Clo-ke-ta's master"--the intonation of this epithet was scornful, and, +as it seemed to me, full of regret, which she disdained +suppressing--"has his braves gathered around." + +"Is Clo-ke-ta, then, married?" + +I could not help the passionate inflexion with which I framed this +whisper. For the moment, I had not only forgotten the wife who had so +recently joined me, but the very information the Cheyenne woman had just +given me. + +"The daughter of Par-a-wau could not go childless to the grave." + +"Certainly not," I answered mechanically. + +My memory had bridged the intervening years between the present and the +time when the parent of Clo-ke-ta, as well as Old Spotted Tail, had done +me the honor of wishing to enroll me as a Cheyenne chief. + +"Will my brother do as Clo-ke-ta has bidden him?" + +The impatience of the request was more like her father's manner and +voice than anything she had yet said. It recalled me to the life of my +present. + +"And who is Clo-ke-ta's husband?" + +"A Bannock chief." + +"The Indians from whom I am then to fly are the Bannocks?" + +"My brother is right." + +"Does not Clo-ke-ta know that the braves with her brother are numerous." + +"The Bannocks who are waiting for the dawn, number more than the leaves +of the sage-brush my brother has seen, before he laid himself down to +rest." + +Figurative as the expression was, there was no mistaking its +significance. We were decidedly in for it, if her words were true, in +even the thousandth or ten-thousandth part of her somewhat extensive +style of reckoning the forces of our enemy. However, my experience of +the Indian character for veracity had greatly modified the faith which, +when I first knew her, I might have placed in her words. Considering our +former relations, it would seem to be a matter of difficulty to make her +understand this. But life in the hills and plains of the West +considerably impairs sentimental delicacy in conversation, even with one +whom a man had so narrowly escaped from wedding, as I had her. After a +brief pause, I said: + +"What the white man sees, he believes." + +"What says my brother?" + +"Let Clo-ke-ta prove her words, to his eyes!" + +"The white chief does not think Clo-ke-ta has told him the truth!" + +Her whisper was shapen so contemptuously that, at the moment, I could +almost have bitten out my tongue in wrath at what it had given breath +to. However, it was of importance that I should know whether her +information had been exaggerated or not. I consequently replied: + +"He does not." + +Her fingers were laid upon my arm with an imperative gesture, as she +whispered in a tone where scorn and affection were curiously blended: + +"Let the white chief follow Clo-ke-ta. But his feet must be as light as +the first leaf the autumn wind strews upon the plain." + +As her last word fell upon my ear, she glided away from me. Nor was it +without some difficulty I kept my sight upon her undulating form, as my +steps sped noiselessly after. + +We must have covered some eight hundred yards, or possibly less, when +she pointed a little to my right, in advance of the spot we had reached. +There I saw the struggling light of a small camp-fire, carefully +smothered down with the torn-up roots of sage-brush, as I concluded, and +could just make out the forms of the slumbering red-skins around it. +Still further on the right I caught the faint glow of another. To the +left, I could just make out two more; the farthest of these was so +distant, that it was no larger, although less defined, than the flash of +the fire-flies I had been accustomed to watch round my home in Galena, +even earlier than the period at which I commenced this history of my +adventures. As I turned towards her again, she said in a lower voice +even than she had previously adopted: + +"My brother has sharp eyes." + +"He has." + +"Does he now believe what Clo-ke-ta has told him?" + +[Illustration: "'Does my brother now believe what Clo-ke-ta has told +him?'"--_Page 222_.] + +"Yes." + +"And he will listen to her counsel?" + +"He cannot." + +"Why?" + +"He is a white brave." + +"Clo-ke-ta knows it." + +"The red man might run away, by himself. Who would call him a coward?" + +"His tribe would--" + +She commenced thus, indignantly. Then she saw the error she was +committing, and broke short off, as I continued: + +"Without those who are with him can fly too, the white brave must +remain." + +A single sharp wail of grief rose from her lips. As it did so, I threw +myself upon the ground and speedily commenced crawling back as rapidly +as I could, to the camp. + +Such a cry was enough to arouse every sleeping Bannock who might be +within earshot of her, and quicken them to my presence. + +One glance I cast upon her, before the darkness blotted her out from my +sight. She was standing erect and motionless, and it appeared to me that +she made a gesture with one of her arms as if to quicken my movements. +There was no need for her to do so. The necessity for my reaching my +friends was too obvious. Unless I was detected, she would be safe. + +Already I had covered half the distance between the place, where I had +paused with her, and our camp, when I rested for a moment. It was an +almost compulsory pause. The speed with which my retreat had been +commenced, and the position in which it had been made, had for the +moment taken away my breath. There was now also, in the darkness, no +absolute necessity for my continuing my creeping posture. I had, +therefore, half risen to my feet, when I caught the rapid sound of +Indian footsteps. A red-skin was behind me. + +Remaining upon my knee, I drew my knife, and listened. There was, +evidently, only one who had disbelieved what Clo-ke-ta might have said. +Possibly, although this is very unlikely, one only may have been +awakened by her wail. + +Had there been more than the one, I might have used my revolver, for the +purpose of alarming the boys. If I had done so, it must have brought out +the rest of the red devils. We had need of time for consultation. Could +I get rid of my pursuer, without giving him the chance for one dying +whoop, we should, at least, have this. + +A clump of sage-brush would have hidden me from the rapidly approaching +Indian, even had the dawn been already breaking. + +He could only have fancied he heard my stealthy flight, as I knew I +heard his rapidly approaching tread. + +Now he was close to the sage-brush, behind which I was kneeling. An +instant after, a dark figure, relieved against the comparatively lighter +sky, is passing it. His limbs nearly touch me. + +One leap, like that of a wild-cat, has fastened me upon him. + +Fortunately my left hand has clutched him by the throat. He struggles +desperately, and attempts to shout. My knife was, however, ready. + +In less than half a minute, all was over. + +When I re-climbed the knoll, I found the boys already stirring. The +wailing cry of Clo-ke-ta had aroused Arnold, who, finding me absent, had +awakened the rest. Jennings could tell them nothing of my absence. +Brighton Bill had proposed to Harry a search for me. The latter, +however, saw that until the morning had broken, any such search must be +worse than useless. + +"And here are Mose, by Heaven!" ejaculated Jennings. + +He rounded off his sentence with a fearful oath of delight, as by the +light of the camp-fire, which had been heaped with fresh brush, he was +the first to recognize me. Without a word, I was trampling out the +flame, in which attempt I was assisted by Bill, who had a profound faith +in my sagacity, and would, I firmly believe, have lent me a hand in +cutting Harry Arnold's throat, had I thought proper to do so. When the +affair had been accomplished, he would probably have inquired my reason +for such a bloody proceeding, but not until then. + +"What on airth! are yer about?" roared Stanaford. "Can't yer leave the +fire alone?" + +"Mose must have a sufficient reason," said Arnold. "Wait 'till he tells +it to you." + +"Hingins!" was Bill's suggestive explanation. + +"Wall! aren't we enough for 'em?" + +"Scarcely!" I answered. Then I added, as I trampled out the last burning +embers with my heel, "they are all around us." + +"How many?" inquired Arnold. + +"I cannot tell, yet," was my reply, given with what, could it have been +seen by him, was a grim smile. "Probably, some two hundred and fifty." + +"Yer can't mean it!" exclaimed Jennings. + +"Boys!" I then said, "we are in the tightest fix I have yet been in. +They are Bannocks, and the Bannocks will fight, as you all know." + +"How do you know what they are?" inquired Arnold. + +A flush stole over my face as I delayed to answer. Had there been +sufficient light to have detected it, I might have been exposed to an +awkward cross-questioning. However, I replied: + +"By taking one of their scalps." + +This was a possible reason, although by no means a probable one, save in +the case of an old Indian fighter. Nevertheless, it answered the +purpose, for the announcement that we were, as it turned out afterwards, +actually besieged by a large body of red warriors, was by no means +adapted to raise the spirits of the men who were listening. Indeed, +those of many of them dropped to zero. + +Little more of the ordinary talk in a miner's camp was likely to pass +between us, during the remainder of the night. It would not, however, be +long for us to wait until the morning light verified my words. None of +us cared about attempting again to sleep. We watched impatiently until +the day broke. Then it was discovered that I had greatly under-estimated +the number of the enemy. Although unable to reckon them, precisely, +there were certainly more than five hundred red-skins waiting to raise +our hair. + +When we realized our position, we saw that the contest against such +odds must be almost a hopeless one. We consequently determined upon +selling our lives as dearly as possible. + +The first day passed in a succession of charges upon the knoll by the +red rascals, broken by their repulse, and intervals of rest for us, +following each separate attack. Our position was, by good luck, a +remarkably strong one, and in these intervals we succeeded in greatly +strengthening it. With our shovels and picks we tore up huge fragments +of rock, with which we built ourselves breastworks, and excavated +trenches for our own security, from which we could pick off the +advancing Bannocks, whenever they indulged themselves in a charge. + +At first, it somewhat puzzled me how Clo-ke-ta had learned of my being +here. But my name, as well as those of Arnold and Brighton Bill, had +become tolerably well-known among the Indians in the section of country +around Susanville, and I at last concluded that it was known that all +three of us were with the party. If so, the reason for these +comparatively dilatory attacks was obvious. A prudent fear of exposing +themselves to our unerring aim, kept them from resolutely putting an end +to the matter. + +During the whole of the ensuing night, a sharp look-out was kept up. +None of our guards, who were regularly relieved at stated intervals, +slept as Jennings had done on the preceding one. + +Early on the following day, their Mahalas, or squaws, began to clear off +a piece of ground beyond the range of our rifles. It was in vain, I +attempted to recognize the form of Clo-ke-ta among them. Possibly she +did not share their labors, although it is more than probable the +distance prevented my sight from distinguishing her. While I was +watching this operation, interesting not only to me but the rest of us, +from its too evident intention, Brighton Bill said: + +"Ha blamed pretty sight, hain't hit, Mose?" + +"You know what it's for, then?" I could not help asking him. + +"Hin course Hi do. H'it's ha kind hof theayter where the blamed Hingins +mean to torture h'us." + +"If they catch us, Bill!" + +"They will have hus, sooner h'or later, that's sartain." + +"They had me once, Bill. But while I have a knife, they shall never have +me again." + +"Hi'm blowed, Mose, hif you hare'nt right. Hi'll tell 'Ank, hand 'e and +Hi will take care we're not roasted halive, too." + +"You will be doing wisely." + +After the Mahalas had picked the spot which had been selected as clear +of sage-brush and rocks, as the back of a child's hand, they reared +their rude and disgusting banners around it. Their design was perfectly +clear. They intended to starve us out and take us prisoners. While we +were discussing the probabilities of this, however, one of the Bannocks +approached a little too near. It was a somewhat long shot, yet Arnold +succeeded in dropping him. This excited the rest to fury, and they +charged upon us with such a roar of whoops and yells, as seemed to be a +perfect Pandemonium. Never have I, before or since, listened to such a +devil's Babel. We shot two of them during the attack, which was +repeated, again and again, during the remainder of the day. Its result +occasionally varied. But on each attack they paid for it in something +the same ratio. + +On this afternoon they received reinforcements, and on the next morning +their numbers again heavily increased. Arnold, indeed, calculated that +there must, on the third morning, have been more than twelve hundred +red-skins surrounding us. + +Some discussion had on the second day taken place as to the feasibility +of our cutting our way through them. This large increase in their force +had, however, rendered such an attempt a matter of mere insanity. The +whole of that day, they kept making dashes at us. Up to this, +nevertheless, they had inflicted no damage upon our party. One result of +their tactics, had, however, caused us serious uneasiness. Our +ammunition was wasting gradually away. Moreover, our stock of provisions +was running very low. It was clear, if things continued as they now +were, we should not only find our guns useless, but might, if the +Bannocks waited long enough, be unable to raise a finger in +self-defence. + +That night, it was evident to the most thick-headed amongst us, that it +would be impossible for us to hold out much longer. + +Things were looking desperate. We had already been placed upon short +allowance for our stomachs. It had now become necessary to place some +restriction upon our frequency of firing at the red devils. At the +council in which we discussed our situation, two of us, named Gardiner +and Jasper, volunteered to attempt passing the Indian lines during the +night. If they were unable to procure us relief, they would at any rate +perish in the attempt to do so. + +It was a gallant offer. But they were like the rest of us, men of pluck. +Had we not been so, necessity would have produced it. Nothing gives a +man so much bravery, as the knowledge that his own courage alone keeps +death at bay for a day or two longer. Their resolution was certainly +increased by this knowledge. + +Suffice it, this offer was accepted. + +About eleven o'clock on that night, they stripped themselves perfectly +naked, and, greasing their bodies with a portion of the bacon-fat which +chanced to be left, prepared for their task. The reason for doing this +last, was, in order to avoid their clothes catching on or being +entangled by the brush, as well as to afford a chance of their escaping +the grasp of the red devils, should their progress alarm them. + +They were each armed with a sheath-knife. If caught, they had determined +upon fighting as long as they had any life left to fight with. Neither +of them would be taken captive. My experience, while in the hands of the +Pah-utes, had been detailed to them on the preceding night, by Brighton +Bill, in a full audience of the rest of our party. Nor did he narrate +it, with mitigating circumstances. As may be very readily supposed, this +had been by no means a highly consolatory recital. + +It was, therefore, with a prayer for their safety from our lips, and +with small hope of it in their own thoughts, that they left us. + +The words in which our farewell had been uttered, seemed like bidding a +last "good-bye" to actual brothers. Darkness had fallen heavily around +us. We were unable to pierce the dense gloom with our eyes, and could +see nothing. What was left to us but to wait and hope? + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + A GOOD SHOT--THE WHITE HORSE--APPROACHING HELP--ONLY A FLEA-BITE--A + SHOUT OF JOY--RAISING THE SIEGE--AN INDIAN PANIC--THE + PURSUIT--RECOVERING MY SENSES--FOR THE LAST TIME--A BEAD AND NO + POWDER--BARE FEET AND THE SHARP "SHALE"--HEROIC SELF-SACRIFICE--A + RAPID AND DASHING RESCUE. + + +The hour of suspense which followed their having left the camp, was +terrible. Every moment of it passed so slowly, that it appeared to be +winged with lead. Each instant we were expecting to hear the crack of +fire-arms, or the sound of a fierce struggle--not for life, but death. +As the minutes passed slowly away, at length we began to realize the +fact that they might have succeeded in passing undetected through the +midst of the slumbering Indians. This belief gradually ripened into a +positive certainty. + +Brighton Bill was the first of us who found sufficient hardihood to give +voice to this. Bringing down his hand with a ringing slap upon his +thigh, he blurted out: + +"May H'i be blamed, hif pluck don't pay hafter h'all. The boys hare +safe." + +"I'll bet they are," said Stanaford with a round oath. "The red skunks +haven't nabbed 'em." + +And so, that night, for the first time in three days, I was able to get +some few hours of slumber, and woke with something akin to hope stirring +in my bosom. + +This day the Indians conducted themselves much as they had before done. +We, however, were more prudent, and wasted no more ammunition save when +we were sure of one of them. They, also, when they saw this, grew more +cautious. Possibly, they were reasoning on our condition from the same +stand-point we did ourselves. Seeing we wasted no more powder, they were +probably reckoning that it was getting smaller in quantity, and thought +it useless to run any more risk, until we were starved into making a +dash for the open. + +About the middle of the day, however, they began to tire of waiting. + +A party of them would ride from their camp, and endeavor, by insulting +gestures and exclamations of derision, to induce us to come out. This +was always out of rifle-range. At length one of them, more daring than +the rest, approached us within a hundred yards, and repeated their +taunts. Stanaford, who was near me, said: + +"I'll pick that red devil off, anyhow." + +No sooner had he said this, than he dropped his cheek to his rifle, and +in another moment the Bannock fell from his horse. Scarcely had he seen +the Indian tumble, than, dropping his gun, he leapt out of the trench, +in whose cover he was lying, singing out as he did so: + +"I'll have his darned hair." + +Jennings and the rest of us shouted for him to come back. This was of no +use. He had reached the dead Indian and scalped him, before the other +Bannocks realized what he was doing. + +One of them, who was mounted on a beautiful white horse, and whom we had +noticed on the preceding day, with a fancy that he must be some +prominent chief, rushed towards Stanaford. Dropping on my knee, I was +taking dead aim, when Jennings sang out: + +"Hold on! Let me have a shot at him." + +"Don't you be ha blamed fool!" roared out Brighton Bill. "H'if the Cap +don't 'it 'im, you can take my wig." Then he added, "D'idn't Hi say so?" + +The last question was caused by the chief's falling backward and +dropping to the ground, while his horse made straight for our camp. Like +Stanaford, I was bound to take his scalp, and ran to get it. This was, +nevertheless, close work. We had been right in imagining the fallen +brave to be a chief. Almost as soon as he had dropped, and I was in +clear view, some dozen or more of the red-skins made a rush for me. + +Had they been a moment speedier, I should have exchanged my own hair for +that I had taken. + +The loss of their chief seemed to have excited them almost to madness. +Every few minutes they would dash at us, shaking their clinched hands, +brandishing their rifles, and yelling out taunts, which we were unable +to comprehend, save from the beastly gestures with which they were +accompanied. Their latter experience of our skill as marksmen, +nevertheless, prevented them from getting within range of our guns. + +The afternoon was rapidly passing away, when Arnold called my attention +to some dust in the east. It was moving rapidly down the side of a small +hill. + +"White help!" he curtly said. + +"Please Heaven! it may be, Hank!" I answered, as I watched the +approaching cloud intently. + +In a few moments, we were able to detect the forms of some fourteen +horsemen coming straight toward us, at a rapid rate. + +"They are a mere flea-bite for the red devils," he exclaimed, +querulously. "However, we may make a better show, with them to help us." + +The whole of our companions were now watching them, as also were the +Indians, who commenced a movement, from our right and left, towards the +approaching party. + +"We must go to their assistance," I said to Harry. + +"H'in course we must," cried Brighton Bill, making a step to the spot +where our horses were. + +"See!" cried Arnold, with a shout of irrepressible joy, "the red skunks +are trapped." + +When he uttered this, he pointed to one side of the knoll. At the same +instant, Stanaford grasped my shoulder and called my attention to the +other. Our attention had hitherto been so engrossed by the approach of +this party, that we had not detected the advance upon either side, of +two much larger bodies. These reckoned, as we subsequently learned, more +than two hundred each. Gardner and Jasper had done their work well, and +deserved all gratitude for the courage and speed with which they had +carried through the work they had entered upon. + +Moreover, the attention of the Bannocks had been engrossed with the +approach of that party of our fellow-countrymen which I had, the very +moment before, in company with Harry Arnold, noticed. + +When they heard the rolling thunder of our shout of joy, and knew that +we were mounting our horses, they gazed round upon either side. In an +instant, they became aware of the manner in which they had been trapped. +There was a moment of hurried consultation. After this, they seemed to +be stricken with perfect dismay. The presence of our friends had smitten +them with a thorough panic. A telling volley had been poured in upon +their shrinking figures, when we charged upon them. + +It was with the yell of a band of tigers. + +Shouting, clubbing, striking, and stabbing, we broke in, upon all we +came across. + +For the time, we were in a complete delirium of savage rage. So much so, +indeed, that no incident of the struggle can be in any way recalled by +me, for the next two hours. + +At the close of these, my recollection had come back. I was far to the +north of our camping-ground. Noon was waning into evening. The blue sky +of the morning was seamed and blurred with rushing cloud. The horse I +was mounted on was urged by me, in a headlong chase, after two flying +figures. In the commencing shadow of the evening, I was enabled to see +that they were Indians. + +Did I not recognize one of them? + +What if I did do so? Was I not maddened with the long siege I had +endured? Was I not wild from my lengthy imprisonment on the mound, and +eager upon the work of death? Suddenly, one of their horses stumbled and +fell. Its rider was thrown under the body of the fallen animal. With a +wild scream of delight, I urged my own steed up to them. + +When I did so, the other Indian had dismounted, and was standing between +me and the fallen red-skin, in a queenly and defiant posture. + +It was a Mahala. + +"The white chief has killed the husband of Clo-ke-ta. Let him now, if he +wills it, take the life of her father." + +Par-a-wau was stretched upon the dry earth, crushed under the motionless +body of the animal he had been riding. + +For a moment, I gazed upon the two. My brain seemed to whirl in a wild +dance, as I did this. Then it was stilled, and, without a word of reply, +I leapt from the back of my horse. With some little difficulty I +extracted the Cheyenne chief from beneath the dead body of the animal he +had been mounted upon. The gallant little beast had been stricken, +earlier, by one of our balls. It had passed through its hind quarter. +Yet, in spite of the loss of blood and the weakness gradually growing on +it from this, it had carried the Cheyenne thus far. + +Although bruised severely by the fall, when I raised him, Par-a-wau was +able to stand erect. + +Neither of us spoke. + +He, very evidently, supposed that it was my intention to make him a +prisoner. In all probability, he had too much Indian pride to make any +entreaty. Very possibly, he believed white blood might run in as hard +veins as that of the red-skin. I led my own horse toward him. + +"Will Par-a-wau mount the horse of his brother?" + +Without a word of answer, he obeyed me. Then, I raised his rifle, which +was still upon the ground, and placed it in his hands. + +After this, I turned to the Mahala. She had been standing motionless, +watching every movement which I had made. Touching her widowed brow with +my parched lips, dry and smeared as they were with the grime of battle, +I lifted her into the saddle of her pony, which had been standing near +us, saying: + +"Clo-ke-ta will sometimes think of the brother who has never forgotten +her!" + +As I quitted her side, I heard the same cry of anguish, which had been +uttered by her, when I refused to obey her counsel and fly from the men +with whom my lot was at the moment cast. My heart throbbed fiercely, yet +I would not turn to her. Haply, she was thinking of the husband whom I +had slain--perchance, she may momentarily have recalled the long-quelled +dream of her youth. What was it to me what she was thinking of? +Resolutely, I commenced my return. + +In a few seconds after, I heard the tramp of the horse which had borne +me, as well as that upon which I had placed Clo-ke-ta, ringing upon the +plain behind me. Par-a-wau had breathed a few words to his daughter, as +she passed from my hearing, in their own tongue. It almost seemed to me, +as though a portion of my life had been torn from me. + +Treading rapidly along the plain, I was buried in the mingled gloom of +the present and the past. + +Yes! This was the end. My hand had widowed the woman, for whom I had +once been so sorely tempted to forswear civilization. + +In spite of the excitement of the last few hours, my thoughts were for +the moment with the past, when they were suddenly brought back by a +voice, whose tones I had recently become more than well acquainted with. +They were characterized by a somewhat coarse and insolent surprise. + +"Wall! I swar, if this don't beat all. It's Buckskin Mose." + +This exclamation was followed by the heartier and more energetic +utterance of Brighton Bill. + +"Hi'm blamed, Cap, hif you weren't lucky; we 'adn't no more powder." + +"Whar's yer horse?" + +"May Hi be blamed hif h'it hain't nabbed by them thieving Hingins. +Nare' a matter, Mose; 'ang me hif Hi don't get h'it back for you." + +Bill's horse was already plunging by me, when my grasp was on its +bridle. + +"You won't, Bill!" + +"What d' you mean?" + +"What I say!" + +Jennings, the man who had been with Bill when the two had caught sight +of me, was already some ten yards from the place where I was standing. + +"Come back!" + +Glancing over his shoulder at me, he saw me drawing a bead upon him. Not +knowing I also was out of powder as well as himself, he thought it best +to pull in and return, swearing at what he considered my stupidity. The +opinion of Brighton Bill was, however, of greater importance in my +estimation. This, the more especially, when I found out he evidently had +settled my conduct as an undoubted example of temporary insanity. At any +rate, I saw him, when he fancied my glance was turned away, looking at +Jennings, and touching his forehead in a very significant manner. + +"What are you thinking of, Bill?" I asked him, suddenly. + +"Nothing, Cap! Hi'll be blamed hif Hi am. H'only hit's queer." + +And so, I can scarcely doubt, it seemed to him. Returning to the camp on +foot, I neither explained in what way I had lost my horse--whether it +had been shot, stolen, or run away. Nor did I in any way allude to my +share in the battle. My questions were, however, numerous enough during +our return. The Bannocks had, indeed, been completely routed. Saving +Colonel Connor's defeat of the Indians on Bear River, it was the most +terrible defeat the red-skins had met with, since I had taken up my +residence in this portion of the country. As I afterwards learned, some +four hundred of them had been slain, and almost as large a number of +horses had been captured. + +By the bye, I may mention that the white animal previously mentioned, +subsequently was known as one of the fleetest race-horses in all Idaho. + +On our way back to Boice City, the party who had come to our rescue +related to us the adventures and sufferings of the two brave fellows who +had succeeded in carrying them intelligence of our position. + +After quitting the knoll upon which we were besieged they had commenced +their stealthy advance through the Indian lines, crawling flatly upon +the earth, like a serpent. Each of them had taken a different direction. +Frequently they passed close to a slumbering Indian. But for the grave +necessity which imposed every precaution upon him to avoid detection, +Gardner said more than once, he was tempted to knife some of the red +devils, who had reduced him and the rest of us to so sore a strait. +However, feeling that if he did so the struggle he might possibly cause +would rouse the camp, he had wisely enough refrained from doing so. + +After they had passed their enemies and were some mile or more beyond +them, each rose to his feet. + +Jasper had followed a small creek for some distance, and then struck +across the rock and shale of the mountains until he reached Boice City. +His body was scratched and cut by the brush he had stricken against in +the commencement of the route, while the flesh had been actually torn +from his feet by the jagged shale he had passed over. When he arrived +in the city, those who first saw him fancied he had just made his escape +from the Indians, who had been amusing themselves by torturing him. +Gardner had struck in a more northerly direction for Idaho City. His way +had been nearly as bad, and he was almost dead when he arrived there. It +should be mentioned that the former of these two unrecorded heroes died +within a short time, after reaching Boice City. He had, voluntarily, as +Gardner had also done, exposed himself to the almost sure risk of death, +on behalf of his companions. Peace be with the gallant fellow, in that +long sleep, for which we shed tears of blood! + +No sooner had his information been given than Jake Jordan leapt upon his +horse, and stopping at every house, called for volunteers. Every horse +was placed in requisition. They were even taken from the teams that were +standing in the main street, and mounted by those who were eager to join +the expedition, whether their owners or not. + +A well-equipped party soon after came in from Idaho City, and joined +them. + +When everything was in readiness, and not a moment had been lost by +them, they placed themselves under the command of Jordan, and took the +road. Nor did they slacken rein, even for an instant, until they had so +bravely opened the doors of the trap into which we had unfortunately +fallen. It was one of the most rapid and dashing rescues I ever remember +in the West, and does infinite credit to him who carried it through, in +every particular, with such complete success. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + THE RESPECTABLE PILE AND AN IDLE WINTER--ONLY ONE STREET--GAMBLING + AND DRINKING--A WESTERN COMMUNIST--"KEERDS"--A STICKY WRIST--EIGHT + HUNDRED PER CENT--NORTH OR SOUTH--A BLOW FOR THE OLD FLAG--NECK OR + NOTHING--A COMPULSORY COLD BATH--NOT VERY MUCH DAMAGED--UNABLE TO + GET COMPENSATION. + + +After a somewhat brief rest, Harry Arnold, with Bill and myself, +determined upon returning to Honey Lake Valley. Nothing worthy of notice +occurred until we reached Susanville, except that we travelled by night, +and lay in camp during the day, to avoid the chance of discovery by any +scouting party of Indians. + +It was now late in the year, and as, after hearing the danger I had run, +my wife was unwilling that I should so soon leave her again, we +determined, with the balance of the Rangers whom we had left on the +Humboldt, to pass this winter in comparative rest. That is to say, we +would hunt deer for the market in Virginia City, and set a few traps. + +The probability is that we arrived at this conclusion, from the fact +that we had all of us more or less made money during the past year. +Those of us who had been mining nearer home had done sufficiently well; +while, in addition to what the three of us had been paid as guides by +Colonel Connor, we had gathered a very reasonable pile of gold-dust +while in the neighborhood of Idaho. Consequently, we were all of us +disposed to enjoy the proceeds of our toil, and do as little hard work +as possible. + +My first business was, of course, to see to the comfort of the little +woman whom I had been again absent from, for so many months. + +Indeed, there was some surprise on the part of my friends to find me now +and then declining, not only to join their hunting expeditions, but in +addition sometimes refusing to form one in their raids upon the Faro and +Monte banks which were run in various saloons, one of the most notorious +being that in Burkett's Saloon, kept going by Heap and Hale, the John +Chamberlains of Susanville. It will, probably, not astonish my readers +to hear that these raids were by no means altogether flattering in their +results to the skill and good fortune of the Rangers. + +There is one anecdote which will not prove unamusing. It is, indeed, so +characteristic of the inner life of the place, as well as of the general +inner life of the mining districts, that I cannot refrain from +recounting it. + +Up to the present time, I have neglected to describe Susanville. It was +by no means a large city, according to the Eastern notion of what a city +should be. Nor, possibly, did it enjoy an over and above large share of +civilized respectability. + +A single street contained the whole of its actual business population. +And of what was this whole visible street composed? Almost entirely of +frame buildings for the retail of ardent spirits; in other words, of +drinking-saloons. "Good Old Bourbon," "The Best Cognac," "Capital Rye," +and other inviting appellations, of the same class, were the only +evident appeals to those who chanced to pass through it, for their +custom. Occasionally, indeed, you might find a liquor-store which in a +measure protected a different class of business. In the front of one, +you might find piles of ready-made clothing. Within another were all the +appliances for three-card Monte or Faro. Here, were cigars and tobacco. +This one, also, did duty as a corner-grocery. + +These places were generally left to their own care, from the hour at +which they were closed until the following morning. + +The honesty of frontier-life protected them from being broken into. + +At this time there was living in Susanville an aged settler named Pascal +Taylor, but more commonly known as "Old Zac." He was an independent sort +of Communist. Did he need chicken for a pot-pie, he would appropriate +the fowls of his fellow-settlers without the slightest scruple. If he +needed a new pair of pantaloons, it was equally indifferent to him +whether he made a requisition upon the piles of clothes in front of the +store of a dealer of such articles, or upon the dwellings of his nearest +neighbors. However, let me do him justice. When detected, he would +invariably repay the injured party in kind, by appropriating another +article of the same sort and bringing it to him. + +In fact, he might be termed a continual debtor to life, paying, from +time to time, by incurring another debt. Whether at the close of his +career his account with life might be balanced, must, nevertheless, +remain a matter of considerable doubt. + +Tom Long was the owner of one of the drinking-saloons, I have mentioned, +as composing the line of street or road which was named Susanville. His +residence was on the hill rising from one side of the line of +liquor-shanties in which its regular inhabitants made money. One night, +old "Zac" was standing beside the spot where Tom was dispensing liquor. +He was a favorite of Tom's. For what reason he was so, it would be +impossible to say. But Tom employed him to do up odd "chores" for him, +and occasionally assisted him in a way which in the East might have been +stigmatized as "red-hot" charity. In Susanville, it was not considered +so. Old "Zac" was a privileged person. Well, the truth is, Tom was tired +with the employment of the day. He wanted to quit business and retire to +his home. Turning to "Zac," he pushed out the bottle and a tumbler. + +"Take a drink, Zac?" + +"You bet--" responded the recipient of Tom's bounty. "I say," he +continued, lifting the Old Rye to his lips, "here's long life to you." + +"I want to go home." + +"Why in thunder don't yu go, then?" + +"Zac, I think I will, if you'll 'tend business for me." + +"You bet!" + +"Thank you, Zac! Here's the key of the door. Mind you lock it in about +half an hour, and open it again, to-morrow morning." As Tom concluded, +he took a fair dose of Rye himself, to render his skin impervious to the +night air. In this he was imitated by old Zac. Then putting on his coat, +and taking his hat, he quitted the saloon with a cheery "Good-night, old +boy!" + +Now, "Zac" had no intention of remaining long after his friend and +patron had gone. He had rinsed out the two glasses he and Tom had just +emptied, and was on his way to the door, when four of us stepped in. + +"Eh, Zac! whar's Tom?" + +"Gon to hum." + +"Wall, you'll du!" exclaimed Butch'. "Jest, shet the doors." + +"Hi'll see to hit better than 'e will, by ha blamed sight!" said +Brighton Bill. + +At the moment he said this, he was striding to the back-door of the +saloon, which he very coolly locked and put the huge key in one of his +pockets. No sooner was this done, than, returning to the front entrance, +he performed the same operation. + +Butch' had meanwhile seated himself at a square deal table in one of the +corners of the room. + +"Whar are the keerds?" + +"Here--you bet!" + +Ben Painter produced the pack, and was speedily, with myself and Bill, +seated at the other three sides of the table. Our gold was produced, and +laid beside us. At that time, as now, paper money was an unknown +quantity in California. Then we began to play. + +During the whole afternoon, we had been drinking. Necessarily, after +playing for some fifteen minutes, we felt somewhat dry. Butch' possibly +felt drier than any of us. At any rate, he was the one who cried out: + +"Bring up the licker, Zac!" + +The old fellow brought us the Rye and four glasses on a tray. We drank. +But when he had again removed the glasses and held out his hand for the +four "bits," or twenty-five-cent pieces, habit required, his +unprincipled customer produced a revolver which he very deliberately +cocked and laid down upon the table beside him. + +"D'yu see that?" + +"You bet--Mr. Hasbrouck." + +"Wall, then! don't stick out yure paws for money but bring along the +licker when we ask for it." + +Old "Zac's" lower jaw dropped as he looked in the face of him who spoke. +There was a general shout or rather scream of laughter from the three +other card-players. The face of Butch' was, however, as inflexible as if +it had been hewn from granite. + +"What du yu mean?" was the question at length propounded. + +"Exsag'ly what I say. Jest mind your business, and we'll mind ourn." + +After this, we continued playing. + +California had, before this time, a monopoly of such rough and possibly +dishonest jests. The very men who would have scorned implicating +themselves in any business swindle, saw no harm, in occasionally, when +under the influence of liquor, perpetrating a joke of this description. +When younger, Taylor himself may have been an accomplice in some of the +same sort. He walked back to the bar, with a countenance as grave as +that of a man who is going to the gallows. + +Speedily another round of drinks was ordered. This was followed by +another and another. + +Occasionally I glanced at him, and saw the hard lines of his countenance +growing longer and longer. At last, about one o'clock, when we had been +playing for some three hours and the log on the hearth had burnt down to +scarcely more than a white mass of wood, which would have blistered any +hand that touched it even while it threw out no heat, we felt the place +growing cold. Old "Zac's" face lost its melancholy at the moment when +Ben Painter sang out, with a lusty shiver: + +"Put another log on the fire, Zac!" + +"Whar am I to git one?" + +"What d'yer mean?" + +"You bet, Mr. Painter! I hain't got the key. How in thunder am I to go +fur wood?" + +The old fellow was quite right. How in thunder could he go to the +wood-pile, while the door was locked? It was dangerous to let him have +the key. He might run to Tom Long's, and inform him of our use of the +contents of his cellar, without cashing up. Tom Long was by no means +such a pacifically disposed individual as his temporary substitute. A +similar thought to this evidently suggested itself to the mind of +Brighton Bill. Rising from his seat, he said: + +"Hi'll go with 'im, and may H'i be blamed hif the hold rip bolts." + +Some time elapsed before the fresh log made its appearance, and the door +which Bill had opened was once more locked. The log was placed upon the +embers by old "Zac," and, in a brief time, the cheerful blaze from it +was again warming the chilly temperature of the saloon. + +We recommenced playing. Presently more drinks were called for. + +As before, the old fellow brought them. This time, however, he had not +placed the glasses upon a tray. He brought them two in each hand. +Leaning across the table he placed the first two between Butch' and me. +The other two were planted between Painter and Brighton Bill. As I +chanced to look at him, shortly after, I saw the roughly rigid lines of +his mouth actually curving into a smile. When another round of drinks +were demanded, they were brought in the same fashion, but placed +between Brighton Bill and Butch', and between Painter and myself. + +Shortly after this, it struck me that my pile of eagles had lessened +more than it should have done. + +I and Bill had, however, been losing. The probability was that I had not +noticed how rapidly my money was going. Nevertheless, when drinks were +again called for I saw old "Zac's" wrists on Butch's money and +Painter's, as the two glasses were set down, between them and the +remaining two players. When Long's substitute left the table, it was +clear fewer gold pieces laid between them and us than had been heaped +there before. I was on the trail and followed it with my eyes. When I +had detected, however, the means of which the shrewd old vagabond had +availed himself to get even with us, I was too much amused to turn +State's evidence, even in the row which ultimately arose between +Brighton Bill and Butch', from the former accusing the latter of +concealing his winnings. Bill had lost about as much as I had. He was, +nevertheless, unaware that his crony, for such next to myself Butch' +Hasbrouck was, had lost equally in amount, although more in proportion, +than he had himself. + +The astute "Zac" Taylor had managed to prolong his apparently enforced +embassy to the wood-pile, until he had been able to cover the lower +sides of his wrists with pitch. + +This shrewd dodge had enabled him to pay Tom Long or himself, seven or +eight times more than the amount due the former for the liquor we had +been consuming. Every time he stretched across the table to place two +glasses upon it, or repeated the action by my side, his wrists would +rest upon two of our piles of gold pieces. Each time, one or two +half-eagles were secured by the pitch with which the old scamp had +anointed the side of his wrists necessary for this shrewd trick. The +consequence was, that, for the only time in my life when such an unusual +chance occurred, the whole of the four players were almost dead-broke. + +[Illustration: "Each time one or two half-eagles were secured by the +pitch with which the old scamp had anointed the sides of his wrists +necessary for this shrewd trick."--_Page 248._] + +But for the quantity of rye we had all of us been swallowing, the others +must have seen through this impudent operation as I had done. + +If so, it may be a matter of question whether "Zac's" undeniable +popularity would have saved him from an entire coating of the pitch he +had so acutely employed. Relishing the trick, I, however, held my peace. +Possibly, had it occurred when flush times had passed, or before they +had begun with me, I might have acted differently. + +Early in the next spring, as our funds had almost touched +low-water-mark, the boys held a council of war, and it was decided upon, +without a single dissenting voice, that we should once more try our luck +upon the Humboldt River. + +Accordingly we started to the mines, there. For the first time we met in +this locality with indifferent success, or rather with no success at +all. We, therefore, decided upon prospecting at a further distance, and +repaired to Austin. Here we found the mines less promising even than +those we had just left, and pushed on to Belmont in the hope of doing +better. A similar want of fortune pursued us to this place. + +One evening as we were sitting in camp, in no very agreeable mood, as +respected the world and things in general, a bright idea struck one of +us. + +"Look here, boys!" he said. "Haven't you ever thought of fighting ag'in +Secesh?" + +"May Hi be blamed," exclaimed Brighton Bill, "hif you 'aven't 'it hit! +What's the h'use of prospecting hand digging where we don't git nothing. +Hi'm game for heither side. Let's go h'in, Cap!" + +"I'm not exactly game for either side, Bill!" was my reply; "but for the +old Stars and Stripes, I think I'd like to take a turn." + +"So would I. It will be some variety, old fellow, in any case, 'though +I'd as soon fight it out on either side," said Painter. + +"So would I. Ye're right, Ben!" ejaculated Butch' Hasbrouck. + +"We'll put it to the vote, which side we go in for, Mose," quietly said +Arnold. + +Not one of us declined fighting. It was merely a question as to which +side the fight was to be entered upon. A brief discussion had the result +of our taking Harry's advice. The old flag, however, carried the largest +number of votes. We were to strike a blow for the Union. + +After we had determined upon this, the next thing which presented itself +to our consideration, was the line of travel it would be best for us to +take. We had a fair stock of coffee, sugar and jerked meat. This would, +however, be insufficient, if we intended to cross the continent. We +should have, consequently, to direct our march through a section in +which game would be tolerably plentiful. My suggestion was that we +should pass through the Paranagut country and the southern part of Utah, +until we struck the Colorado River. From that point our line of march +would be clear enough. + +"Have yer ever been through that part, Mose?" asked Butch'. + +"No." + +"Then yer've a darned good nose for game, I will say." + +"And red-skins, too," said Arnold, "if we are to believe all we hear." + +"Whar thar's game, ye're sure to find the skunks," exclaimed Painter +sententiously. + +And so, the first part of our route was settled without much difficulty. + +Next morning we broke up camp, and after a few days of hard travelling, +struck the south fork of the Colorado. Game had been scarcer than we had +supposed. However, it was absolutely necessary that we should here +replenish our stock of provisions. The jerked meat began to run low, and +we had no more than a single day's rations of coffee on hand. A halt for +a few days was therefore proposed, during which we might devote our time +to hunting, and laying in sufficient meat for us to continue our route +to the East. + +On the second morning after we had camped, I started alone up the river. + +After ascending it for some three or four miles, I crossed and broke +from it towards the south. In a brief space of time, I spotted an +antelope, and was creeping up to it, against the wind, when almost close +to me, beneath a large rock which had hitherto concealed it, I caught +sight of another. My rifle was in a moment at my shoulder, and with no +more trouble than it takes in telling it, I rolled him over. + +This had occurred in the afternoon, and as I should have to carry the +animal back with me, I thought it might be as well to retrace my steps. + +Tying its feet together, I accordingly slung the dead antelope upon my +back and started on my return. + +The side of the Colorado in which our camp had been pitched, swept down +to its banks with a park-like slope, although its herbage and the trees +with which it was broken up, were wilder and more luxuriant than such a +qualifying epithet might lead the reader to suppose they were. On the +side to which I had crossed, the stream was bounded by an almost +perpendicular wall of cliff, about sixty or seventy feet in height. +Calculating that I should readily find some spot at which to descend, I +had taken my way almost in a beeline to the spot opposite our +camping-ground. Scarcely had I covered more than a mile in this +direction than, happening to turn my head to the left, I saw a number of +red-skins rushing towards me. + +So thoroughly unmolested had our party been by Indians, since we had +left Belmont, that I had entirely forgotten Arnold's warning hint about +their presence in this part of the country. Indeed, I had not even +thought about them lately, so apparently secure from their presence did +we seem to be. + +Here, however, they were, and plenty of them. Dropping the antelope in +order to save myself, I took to my heels. + +On arriving at the top of the cliff, immediately opposite the camp, I +found no place at which I could manage to reach the bottom. The side of +the cliff appeared to be one unbroken wall of rock. + +Dashing up the river along the summit, at a little distance above I +found a small notch in its face, haply, worn by some one of the numerous +rivulets which seam the hills and mountains in winter. This afforded a +means of partially sliding down or dropping to the level of the stream. +The boys, on the opposite side of the Colorado, discerned me just as I +had discovered this. They also saw the Indians, who were gradually +closing upon me, and a volley of balls rattled amongst them. + +At the same time, I had dropped upon my knee behind a rock, and given +one of them a very conclusive hint, that, on his part, at least, any +further pursuit of me must be useless. + +But my discharge had scarcely rung upon the ear, than two red-skins had +seized me. + +They had attempted to cut me off, and my unlucky wish to take a hand in +the play of my friends, had given them the chance of succeeding. In the +struggle my rifle was kicked over the brink of the precipice, and fell +into the river. I had dashed one of the Indians from me, and had gripped +the other by the throat, when they were joined by two more. Forcing me +upon the ground, they speedily tied my hands together, and dragging me +from behind the rock to the brow of the cliff, in plain sight of the +boys, threw me over. + +The next thing I remember was the voice of Brighton Bill. + +"H'it's ha blamed good chance," he said to some one who was standing by +him, "'e didn't smash 'is 'ead hon the rocks, or 'e'd this time be ha +goner. H'i guess 'e'll go 'ome now, hand give hup wanting to fight for +Huncle Sam." + +"He'd do the old boy more good by ridding the country of them cussed red +devils, than by any other way," was the reply of Butch'. + +Bill had seen my body flying over the face of the precipice. He was an +excellent swimmer, and, almost as I struck the water, had plunged in +after me. When I heard what Hasbrouck said, I endeavored to speak, but +for some moments could not manage to make a single word audible; while +the boys, seeing the motion of my lips, were crowding round me, and +uttering every class of kind comfort, and not unchristianly profane +tenderness. When, at length, I was able to find utterance, it was to +Hasbrouck I spoke. + +"You are about right, Butch'. We'll first wipe out some of these cursed +Apaches." + +"How do you feel now, Mose?" asked Arnold, upon whose knee I found my +head was resting. + +"Not very much damaged," I replied, as I managed to sit up, "except by +the loss of my rifle." + +"Hif that's hall," said Bill joyously, "Hi'm blowed hif you're much +'urt. H'as for your gun, Painter can tell you h'if hit's much hout hof +geer." + +"It only got a good wetting," was Ben's answer. "It war wuss for the +cartridges than 't war for the barrel." + +Like a practical man, he had been employed in taking it to pieces, +drying and cleaning it, after Bill had dived for it and brought it to +land with him. + +"Now, tell us, how you got into this darned scrape, old boy?" + +In compliance with Arnold's request, I gave them a thorough narration, +and as the moon had risen and it evidently promised to be a clear night, +in another hour some half of the Rangers crossed the Colorado to look +after the antelope, and if they could to pick off one or two of my +assailants. However, they succeeded in finding neither antelope nor +Apaches. The last had carried off not only all of their own scalps, but +also the carcass of the game I had counted on for our supper. + +We remained in this part of the country for some little time. + +Nevertheless, we scared up no more red-skins. The Apaches, perhaps, had +more respect for our rifles than the Bannocks lately had. Possibly, +also, they were, at the time, not in force between Prescott and the +Colorado. In any case, we saw nothing of them, and were unable to punish +them for their disturbance of our hunting. In addition to this, we +killed very little game, and at length crossed from Prescott down the +Gila River to Fort Yuma. Thence, after remaining in its neighborhood for +a few days, we returned and followed up the Colorado, through the Mojava +and Navajos settlements, occupied by partially civilized red-skins, +until, late in September, we once more found ourselves in the Honey Lake +Valley. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + CIVILIZED LIFE IN A LARGE AND YOUNG CITY--WHAT A REDSKIN WOULD + THINK OF IT--A CHANDELIER AND A BONFIRE--THE OLD FRIEND--THE + WELL-KNOWN PIPE--TOO OLD TO KILL--SPITTED--THE WHITE MAHALA--AGAIN + IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT--THREE MORE INDIAN MURDERS + --OUR INDIAN RECRUIT--"SHOOT HEAP, BUT NO GUN"--"A CONVARTED RED + DEVIL." + + +The following winter was passed by me in San Francisco. It was for the +first time since I had joined Captain Crim in crossing the Plains, that +I had trodden the streets of a large city. All seemed to me so new, so +busy, so thickly populated, that, for a few days, it appeared to me like +the real Wilderness, while I looked back on the mountains, the forests, +the cañons, and the desert I had left, as my actual world. + +My feelings partially realized those of the savage, when for the first +time he treads in the active marts of trade, and their equally laborious +wealth or poverty. + +Mingling with his wonder at the thronged and toiling stores, the +superficial wealth everywhere apparent, the spars and masts of the huge +shipping, the numerous spires, the sloping-eyed and high cheek-boned +Chinese, the buzz of countless life surging around him, the clanging +bells from the churches, haply the decorated volunteers stepping out to +the voice of drum and trumpet, with the elegantly dressed women, the +inanely simpering dandies, and blear-eyed spectacled old men, who have +been working on and on without pause or cessation for scores of +years--there cannot but rise in him a feeling of contempt for all he +sees before him. + +He may not but contrast his own chainless and unfettered existence with +that walled-in life whose passions are merely, so it would appear to +him, things of routine; whose enjoyments seem to him meaningless +shadows; whose loves and hates would count in his eye as nothing; and +whose range, from the cradle to the grave, is to him narrower than the +glad gallop of a single day on which he sights his game, or spots his +enemy. + +But what have I to do with such thoughts as these? My white friend +cannot realize them--nor can my red enemy even read them. The first will +consequently laugh at me for indulging in, while the last will never +hear of my having entertained, any such reflections. + +Moreover, after the first week of my sojourn in San Francisco, they +gradually wore away. In my early life, which had been for so many years +almost forgotten, I had been upon the stage, had dealt in pop-corn, and +had proven my skill as a detective. If I could now find no occasion to +employ one of the last-named class, I could in any case purchase and eat +the second when it came in my way, and gaze upon that which was enacted +on the first, either laughingly or applausively. So, by degrees, the +old-time fancies came back, and I began to believe there might be some +delight in civilization after all. I saw a few friends, and, as I was +not without money, made many new. Some of these have been really +friends, and some of them--well! it would be useless to sum up their +characters, as they were not the red devils I had latterly been brought +in contact with. Possibly, none of them would have felt any pleasure in +making my body serve as a living chandelier, by way of a prelude to +lighting a bonfire with my person as the central faggot. Yet, very +certainly, they would have cleaned me out of all I had about me, without +the slightest compunction, not even allowing me to retain the price of +one meal. + +Amongst my old friends, I met Captain Crim, then a wealthy horse-dealer, +dwelling on the Mission, and one whose word would have been good for +thousands. + +After our first interview, we dined together; and when I had given him a +rough sketch of my adventurous life after he had left me at Susanville, +we had a long talk over the events attending my first appearance on the +Plains under my engagement with him. Many of the incidents which had +occurred during it had almost been forgotten by me until he recalled +them, and three or four of them were solemnized by a hearty roar of +laughter upon my part, in which my old Captain joined with a will. + +However, all pleasures must end. It was thus with my visit to the +capital of the West. + +After the first week of my stay in San Francisco, there is no doubt but +that I began to enjoy the novelty of complete civilization thoroughly. +Neither can there be any doubt but that complete civilization as +thoroughly enjoyed me. In truth, in some three months it literally +cleaned me out. An offer was made me of a brief engagement on the stage. +But my first week's repugnance, when my pockets were not empty, had with +their emptiness deepened into a strong disgust. Shaking off the dust +from the soles, not of my feet, but my boots, in the spring, I again +turned my face towards Honey Lake. + +It need scarcely be affirmed that my little wife was glad enough to see +me again. Without imputing to her any lack of affection, it may, +however, be assumed that the Rangers were almost as pleased as she was, +at my reappearance in Susanville. Brighton Bill, as I afterwards heard, +said: + +"Now, Hi'm blowed hif we shan't 'ave ha little fun. Mose his has good ha +Cap for ha lark, has ha Hingun skrimmage." + +Whether so or not, the boys rallied round me at once, and, greatly to my +wife's disgust, commenced a series of plannings and plottings for the +occupation of the ensuing summer and winter. + +This year was commemorated by a very heavy emigration to Idaho by the +way of Susanville, Surprise Valley, and Peuabla Mountain. General +Wright, who was on his way to the vicinity of the latter, for the +purpose of prospecting with a party of some twelve men, had been +specially recommended to me, and tarried with me for some four or five +weeks. + +After this, he had started in the direction of Peuabla. For a +considerable length of time no news came back to us, in any way, of his +party. Naturally, this, at first, caused small uneasiness on our parts. +Neither the Pony Express nor the Telegraph have yet penetrated every +part of the great but sparsely settled West. In consequence of this, the +lack of constant intelligence scarcely argued that the receipt of news +must unmistakably be unpleasant, if not disastrous. + +However, I chanced to be out with a party of the Rangers, on our way to +the Humboldt River. We were near Black Rock, when we happened to meet an +old Pah-ute Indian with several squaws, possibly or not, his own +property. There was an appearance of a sort of Mormon respectability +about the wrinkled red-skin, which at the moment impressed me, to a +certain extent, favorably. Feeling this, I stepped up to him for the +purpose of speaking. Judge what my astonishment was, when, drawing near +him, to notice that he was smoking a pipe which I positively remembered +as having been in the possession of the General. + +There could not be the slightest mistake in this fact. + +It was much too costly a pipe to have come into the possession of any +Indian, save as a present, or by the more usual means in which the +red-skin may acquire such property. My readers will very readily +understand what such means are. Wright had himself told me how highly he +valued this pipe. It had been presented to him by a dear friend, who was +at this time dead. There must necessarily have been but small +probability that it should have been a voluntary gift to the old +Pah-ute. + +Taking it at once from him, I demanded "where" he "got it." + +"Me heap find em," was his leisurely reply. "Injin no steal 'em." + +By this time, Bill Dow and several of the other Rangers had joined us. +Dow also had happened to notice the pipe in the General's possession. +With an angry imprecation, he exclaimed: + +"Yer lie, yer red devil!" Then turning to me, he said: "Mose! as sure as +God's in Heaven, that 'ere cuss has had a hand in killing Wright, for +sartin. I reckon we'd jist better go over to Pabla, and look arter his +party. Not, Cap! as I wants to dictate to yer. Only knowing as how the +Gineral was a real friend of your'n, I thought, perhaps--" + +"Thought!" I cried out, "Dow, when you know you are right." + +"I'm dead sartin of it," he muttered between his teeth. + +The aged Pah-ute had, while this was passing, been regarding me with +that stoical indifference of feature which is so characteristic of the +red man. Looking fixedly at him, I said: + +"If you were not an old fellow, I would at once kill you. But if +anything has gone wrong with the General or his party, see that you +never again allow yourself to come within sight of me." + +Immediately after this, we started for Summit Lake, and passing it, went +down the cañon as far as the Puabla. On the following day about noon, we +came to a cabin which had very evidently been occupied by Wright and his +companions. It was now empty. The small cañon in which this rough cabin +stood was filled with cottonwood trees and a dense growth of small +underbrush. As we were examining the place, I came upon the first +fragmentary testimony of the dark tragedy which had branded this spot +with an ineffaceable stain. This was the leg of a man, which had been +hewn off just below the knee. While I was yet looking at it, Arnold +called out in a tremulously hollow voice, which at once indicated from +how intensely nervous an agitation he must be suffering: + +"Come here, Mose." + +He was but a short distance in advance of me; and when I arrived where +he was standing, let me own that I frankly regretted not having cut the +throat of the wrinkled old ruffian whose possession of the General's +pipe had placed me on the track of this most dastardly and savage +murder--aye! and the throats of all the squaws who were with him, too. +Had I not, in my own person, had a sufficient experience of the +gentleness of these she-devils? Could I doubt that it had been also +displayed in the atrocious massacre of General Wright and the +unfortunate men who had accompanied him? + +I shall, of course, be asked for the full particulars of this ferocious +butchery. Let me be as brief as I can in penning the details, which +almost sicken me while I recall them. + +We found the General actually spitted, a pointed stake having been +forced lengthwise from behind through his body, and protruding beneath +his chin. This stake had then been placed upon two crotched limbs of +trees, above a fire, of which nothing but the dead embers now remained. +As far as we could make out, there were no other marks of violence on +the charred shape of the victim. He must have been killed by the +terrible torture of thrusting this stake through his entrails. The +remainder of his party had been literally cut into pieces. Arms, hands, +heads, feet, legs, thighs, and bodies had been hewn apart, and were +scattered around in the brush. Nor was there more than one of the +victims who might have been slain before they were subjected to this +inch by inch torture. Only a single wound by a bullet could be found by +us, on any of these mutilated fragments of what had once been life. + +And these brutal devils are the race that the Government of the United +States demand should be dealt gently with by its children. I should +refrain from denouncing them, perhaps, when the barbarities I had twice +experienced at their hands are remembered by me. But in such a case as +the present one, where my memory has no individual suffering to give it +edge and bitterness, I may surely be permitted to express my opinions. +This, the more specially, when I know that these opinions are shared in +by every settler who has had some two or three years' practical dealing +with the falsehood, rascality, treachery, blood-thirstiness, and +demon-like barbarity, which, almost invariably, in every instance, +characterize the Western Indian. + +What, let me fearlessly ask, could in any way have been the natural +result of the hesitation of the Government at Washington, to operate +efficiently for the protection of its own children? + +These men had, undoubtedly, the right to claim such a protection. Any +other country to which they might have belonged, would have given it to +them. It has, however, been consistently refused, or accorded them in a +way which renders it worse than useless. They have, consequently, been +compelled to rely upon themselves for protection, it being carried out +after their own fashion. Necessarily, this fashion has varied. But, in +no case, could it take a shape other than of the struggle ever-existent +between the conflicting parties, when law has become paralyzed, or +neglects to put in a satisfactory appearance. For many years, legal +restraint had been overridden in San Francisco. At length, the condition +of society resulting from this became unbearable. It was then that the +citizens of the capital of the young and vigorous West took the matter +into their own hands, independently of the State authorities. A +vigilance committee sprung from their actual necessity, and, in a short +space of time, daily crime was reduced to the ordinary ratio it bears in +civilization. Even in the great Eastern metropolis, during the past two +or three years, a similar necessity has been proclaimed, and a like +exertion of the popular will has been predicted by some of the leading +New York journals. There, however, law seems recently to have awakened +from its long slumber, and, if consistently active and severe, will +repress the lawlessness of passion or criminality. + +But where there is no law, save on sparsely rare occasions, as is +sufficiently evidenced on the mountains, and in the valleys and plains +bordering on California, the action of vigilance committees, or some +restraint as sharp and certain, is a paramount necessity. + +How can it be wondered at, while crime of the nature of the +last-mentioned, and others which I have recounted, are of well-nigh +yearly occurrence, that it should have exerted, on the part of those +exposed to its visitation--without the interference of national +protection except at rare intervals--the determination to repress it, +bloodily and mercilessly, as the instances in which it develops its own +atrocity and pitilessness, too evidently require? + +However, let me avoid the appearance of defending what I believe to be +the righteous exertion of a spirit of self-protection, and leave it to +the unbiassed judgment of my readers. + +Burying the fragments of the bodies of the poor victims, or as many of +them as we could find after a long and sorrowful search, in as decent a +manner as we could, we resumed our way to the Humboldt. Here we located +some six miles above Lancaster, on this river, and met with no very +great success in our search for the precious metals. While here, an +Indian from above Gravelly Ford, known by us as Shoshonee John, came in +to our party. He could talk very fair English, and had been driven from +his tribe in consequence of his openly professed friendly feeling to the +whites. After a brief discussion among the boys, he was permitted to +remain with us, until we started on our return. This was some time in +August, in 1865. + +We had reached the back of Granite Creek Station, which was then kept by +Allen Simmons, from Oroville, and a man of the name of Bill Curry, when +we fell in with some eight or ten Mahalas, with their papooses or +children. + +One of the Mahalas was a white woman. She had been taken by the Bannocks +when she was no more than twelve years of age, in 1851. All her +relatives and companions had been killed by them. Only herself had been +spared. She was now married to a red-skin, by whom, she told us, she had +five children. On our asking her to leave her captors, with the tears +standing in her eyes, she refused to do so. She said that she knew of no +friends who would receive her. What, she did not attempt to disguise +that she considered as the disgrace of her present life, would, as she +felt, preclude her from all white friendship. In consequence of this, +she avowed herself determined to remain. On being further questioned, +she told us that we were the first white men she had seen since the +period of her capture. I then asked her, if she had heard of the +horrible massacre of General Wright and his party. Bursting into tears, +she affirmed that it had been "the work of Smoke-creek Sam, and the +wretches who were with him." + +Her grief and disgust at this were so marked and unmistakable, that I +had no hesitation in asking her to tell us how and where we might find +this scoundrel and his gang of ruffians. Without the slightest +hesitation, she did so. Indeed, from the sudden flash in her eyes, and +the rush of color to her tanned, yet still smooth cheeks, I felt +convinced she experienced a bitter delight in believing that we might +punish him. It is generally impossible for the necessity of life, or +even for love, to blot out the ties of blood. She might be compulsorily +a Mahala, yet was still, at heart, a white woman. + +Again I endeavored to induce her to quit her present mode of life, but, +unhesitatingly, although sadly, she refused to abandon the red-skin with +whom her existence had been for so many years linked, and his and her +children. + +At Granite Station, Al. Simmons gave us additional information +respecting Smoke-creek Sam. He had a few days before surprised a party +of Chinamen, between the Peuabla mountain and Owyhee River. Some sixty, +in all of them, had been murdered by the gang. This had been effected, +in a similar way to the cruel mode of death by which General Wright had +perished. + +Pushing on, therefore, to the military station at Smoke Creek, we +detailed the circumstances of these bloody outrages to Captain Smith, +who was then in command of it. + +His horror at hearing of the last, and being made acquainted with the +details of the first, by those who had seen the remains of the murdered +party, was as thorough, almost, as ours had been. An arrangement with +him was, in consequence, speedily concluded, by which we were to proceed +to Susanville, and, after giving our horses and ourselves a few days' +rest, return to the station. Thence we were to start, in company with +himself and men, to inflict, if possible, a well-deserved and +retributory punishment on Smoke-creek Sam and his gang. + +On arriving at the station, we found a party of three or four men from +the Humboldt, who had preceded us by a few hours. + +They had brought the intelligence that a party of Indians had visited +Granite Creek on the day before. The station, as they informed us, had +been burned to the ground. Al. Simmons, Bill Curry, and another man, had +been killed. When A. R. Le Roy, who had joined the Rangers previous to +our leaving the Humboldt River, heard this, he was fearfully excited. +Al. Simmons had been one of his dearest friends, and the news of this +additional murder increased not only his rage, but that of all of us. + +Captain Smith was by no means dilatory. His men were soon in their +saddles, after we had rejoined him, and we pushed on rapidly to Granite +Creek. + +About one hundred yards west of the station, we found the body of +Simmons, lying on his face upon the ground. A small bullet-hole was just +outside of his heart. He must have been slain instantly. Myself and the +other boys felt his death as keenly as we had done anything, for some +time. Scarcely eight days since, we had been sitting with him, and +talking of the butchery of the Chinese; and now we saw that his life had +been sacrificed by the red devils as relentlessly, although in a less +cowardly manner. As for Le Roy, when he saw the body, he flung himself +on the ground beside it, and throwing his arms around the lifeless form +of his friend, burst into a savage flood of tears. Within the burned-up +timber of the station lay poor Curry, who had been slain there. The +third man had evidently attempted to escape by flight. But the Indians +had been too quick for him. Judging by their tracks, which were still +clearly visible, he had been pursued, overtaken, and brought back. Less +fortunate than the others, his death had not been so speedy. He had been +stretched upon the earth with his face downwards. His hands and feet had +been fastened by thongs to stakes driven into it. Brush and branches, +hewn from the trees, had been then heaped upon his body and set fire to. + +It would be unnecessary to say, that had anything been wanting to +quicken our desire for retaliation, this must have done so. After +attending to a hurried burial, we took the trail, which led us evidently +in the direction the white Mahala had indicated to me, when I had asked +her to tell me where Smoke-creek Sam and his gang were generally to be +found. + +Two days after, we camped for the night in a small valley in the +mountains above Black Rock. + +This valley was some six miles, or more, distant from an almost level +piece of ground, to which the name of Soldier Meadows had been given. + +After attending to the demands of our stomachs, for we had been on our +own legs or those of our horses since daybreak, I went out with some +other of the Rangers, as scouts, to discover if we were yet near the +red-skins. Possibly an hour and a half may have elapsed, when some +camp-fires were seen by me in the direction of the upper part of Queen's +River. Shoshonee John had accompanied me, and detected them as quickly +as I had done. + +"Pah-ute Ingin!" he at once said. + +"Or Smoke-creek Sam!" I could not help replying. + +"All, heap same. Pah-ute as bad, only Smoky-creek Sam some worse." + +Without pausing to discuss his exceeding Irish summary of the merits of +the original tribe, and those who had absconded or been expelled from +it, we immediately returned to our camp, being joined upon our way by +Butch' Hasbrouck, who had also detected the same camp-fires. + +"How far off, Butch', did you believe the red-skins were?" + +"Ten miles will bring yer to 'em." + +"He right!" sententiously observed the Indian who had accompanied me. + +My estimate of the distance agreed with theirs, and upon our reaching +the camp, the Rangers immediately took to their saddles, and Captain +Smith ordered his men to mount. While they were doing this the red-skin +addressed me, saying: + +"Give Shoshonee John a gun, to help shoot heap Pah-utes." + +"How do I know you will?" + +The question was prompted by the knowledge I had acquired of the Indian +character. It seemed to me that if the petitioner had owned a gun at the +time about which he first joined us, he might, not improbably, have kept +out of our neighborhood. He, however, answered me promptly enough. + +"Pah-ute Ingin heap shoot Shoshonee John when catch him. Shoshonee John +shoot him, too." + +It might be so. But Harry Arnold and Ben Painter took the same view of +the case as I did, and the matter was compromised by Captain Smith +ordering him to be given a cavalry sabre. At the same time, Brighton +Bill, who had been listening, growled out: + +"'E's ha convarted red devil. Hi'm blamed hif H'i wouldn't 'a given 'im +a rifle." + +When within a mile or something more of the camp, a halt was ordered, +while some of us made a reconnoissance. Creeping up to their position, +we found the band must count heavily. It had encamped on the very edge +of the desert, which was here some forty miles across, without a single +bush or shrub growing upon it. It formed almost a dead level, and in the +dry season was so hard that a horse would scarcely leave the slightest +track by which scout or red-skin could have trailed it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + A LIVELY COMMENCEMENT--THE FIGHT IN THE DESERT--EXTERMINATION OF A + BAND OF CUT-THROATS--THE CAVALRY SABRE--A CONTRAST--PERMITTED TO + RETIRE AND RECEIVING PROMOTION--A LITTLE LOVE--CHANCE AND + TROUBLE--WHAT CAME OF IT--"SMOKING OUT A VARMINT"--A FEW + PRISONERS--THE INDIAN AGENT--NEW FRUIT ON A TREE--ALONE ON A + TRAIL--THE END. + + +After a brief council, in which Captain Smith, Harry Arnold, and myself +were the principal ones who took a part, it was determined to surround +them on the side where we then were, and immediately day had broken, to +drive them to the desert. By doing this, we calculated scarcely one of +them would have a chance of escaping. + +"At last, Mose!" said Le Roy, who happened to be near me, "we have the +blood-thirsty devils! and may God not spare me, if I fail to kill, while +a single one of them is left alive." + +He scarcely seemed to be aware of the meaning of his muttered words. But +I knew of what he was thinking. It was of the death of Al. Simmons. + +In some forty minutes the necessary orders had been given, and we had +advanced nearly within gun-shot of them. We had moved into our position +with the most complete silence. What had startled the Indians, I was and +still am unable to imagine. They had, however, discovered our approach, +and yelling out their war-whoop, dashed towards us, on our centre. It +was just light enough for them to make out our strength. When they +found this, they recoiled, and, almost at the same instant, made a +charge upon our left. For some few minutes the boys and soldiers on that +side of our position had lively work, and then, finding out that there +also we were too strong for them, the red-skins started out on the +desert. + +We pursued them leisurely for some six miles. Then putting the spur to +our horses, we galloped up and surrounded them. + +It was now daylight. We could see the work before us. + +Justice must be done even to such a rascally set of murdering thieves as +Smoke-creek Sam's gang. When caught, they did fight, as I honestly +believe no Pah-utes have ever before done. However, the blue-coated +servants of Uncle Sam and the Buckskin Rangers fought better. The +soldiers rode amongst the red-skins, hewing them down with their sabres, +while our boys were equally busy with revolver and knife. + +This had scarcely been going on for as many minutes as we had covered +miles of the desert, when I marked one Indian. From descriptions of +Smoke-creek Sam, which we had almost all of us heard, I determined that +this must be the scoundrel, and rode up to him. I was lying on the side +of my horse when he saw me. Lifting his revolver, he fired three or four +shots at me as rapidly as he could. + +The last of these crashed through the skull of the noble brute, that had +borne me so well and gallantly for so many years. I felt, even at the +moment in which he fell--in spite of the enemy who were in the front and +on all sides of me--a cruel pang. + +It so happened that when I fell, Arnold was near me and had seen the +shot take effect on the animal I was mounted on. He knew how greatly I +valued the gift of Jack Bird, not simply on account of the giver, but on +its own account. I heard his voice, as the report of his own pistol rang +on the ear, almost immediately following that of the red-skin's. Giving +utterance to a fierce cry, he yelled out: + +"You have killed the Tipton Slasher. Take that, you red devil!" + +Harry's ball had broken the right arm of Smoke-creek Sam, and he had +gone to grass as it struck him, or, at all events, I thought so. The red +ruffian had certainly fallen, and, extricating myself from the panting +body of my dying horse, I leapt towards him for the purpose of raising +his hair. While I was in the act of doing this, I saw that he was not +yet dead. With a desperate clutch of his left hand, he was trying to +grasp the revolver which had fallen from his maimed limb upon the +ground. It was lying a trifle beyond his reach, and before I had time +even to think of putting him out of his misery, I saw the gleam of a +cavalry sabre flashing through the air. + +The blade fell. + +In another instant, the savagely brutal head of Smoke-creek Sam was +hanging from his shorn neck, attached to it merely by a small portion of +bleeding flesh. At the same moment when this was effected, a voice +shrieked out: + +"Buckeeskin Mose, he now see whether Shoshonee John fight. Think him +kill heap." + +There was clearly no more reason for doubting the sincerity of our +Indian ally. + +"Smoke-creek Sam?" + +This demand was made by me with an inquiring gesture, as, in doing so, +I extended to him the scalp I had just lifted. Looking first at it, and +then at the head he had so nearly severed from the body it belonged to, +as if to make sure of their former connection, he replied: + +"Heap sure." + +The answering affirmative was uttered with a sententious gravity, +exemplarily characteristic of his red ancestry, as Cooper has painted +similar races long since wiped out by our rushing civilization. Striding +from us, he then looked around the battle-field for more of his +brethren, upon whom he could display the reality of his detestation of +them, as well as his capacity as a headsman. + +However, by this time the strife was well-nigh over. Not one of +Smoke-creek Sam's gang could be seen standing upon his feet. The hard +soil of the desert, for more than quarter of a mile square, was strown +with their dead bodies. Eighty-one of the merciless scoundrels had paid +with an honorable end for their bloodily disgusting crimes. Not a single +red-skin had escaped from the bullet or the sabre. The band of torturing +and villanous cut-throats and murderers had been totally exterminated. + +In this instance also, I can justly say, as I have done in Colonel +Connor's battle on Bear River, that Captain Smith, although an officer +in the regular service, did his work well and thoroughly. + +The Pah-utes, however, had not been reduced to tranquillity. As I have +earlier explained, this gang was merely a section of that tribe whose +atrocities and lawlessness had compelled their expulsion from it. Not, +indeed, their atrocity and lawlessness against us, the white settlers, +but that which they displayed at the expense of their red brethren. + +Scarcely had I returned and been, for a short time, in the society of my +little wife, settled down in Susanville, when an incident occurred which +fully demonstrated this fact. + +At this time, a body of Uncle Sam's blue-coats were stationed in the +vicinity of Summit Lake. The cavalry was under the command of Captain +Hall, and the infantry under that of Captain Meyers. It happened that +two of our most prominent citizens were crossing the mountains, some +four miles nearer than this post, when they were attacked by a party of +red-skins. The leg of one of them, named Kesler, was broken by a +rifle-ball at the first volley aimed at them by the attacking Indians. +The other of the men was possessed of cool courage and indomitable +pluck. This was Frank Drake. No sooner did he see his companion fall, +than he asked briefly: + +"Are you wounded?" + +"The red cusses have broken my leg, Drake!" + +"Yer must be off, then." + +"How on airth can I?" + +"We'll soon see," cried Frank cheerily. + +Cutting one of the horses loose from their team, he helped Kesler on to +it, in spite of the bullets which were rattling on the other side of the +wagon. Then, bidding him ride to the Lake to ask for assistance from the +soldiers, he proposed to fight it out alone with the Indians. Kesler +remonstrated vainly with him. Giving to the horse he had cut loose a +heavy lash with the whip he had previously been using, he said: + +"Go, yer darned fool, unless yer wish both on us to be done for, by the +red skunks." + +The animal started with Kesler, followed by a pelting shower of bullets. +None of them, however, struck either him or the horse. This unusual +hint, in all probability, accelerated the speed of the latter, for he +seems to have made good time. In about twenty minutes, Kesler arrived at +the place where the blue-coats were stationed, and on seeing Captain +Hall, told him the situation in which he had left Frank Drake, and +begged him to send his friend "help at once." This officer replied in +the usual official slang of the Plains: + +"I've lost no Indians, and I'll be hung, if I'm going to trot out my men +for nothing." + +"Nothing! Hain't I told yer Frank Drake is fighting the red devils, by +himself?" + +"By this time," was Hall's reply, "the man is killed. We shan't find +him." + +In spite of this refusal, in which Uncle Sam's servant persisted, some +few of his men, accompanied by several settlers who chanced to be +present, at once mounted their horses and galloped off, leaving Kesler +behind, to have his leg attended to by the army surgeon, if the post +rejoiced in such an appendage. This is by no means invariably the case. +The party galloping to save the plucky Frank Drake, made even better +speed than his companion had done. + +No sooner were their rapidly advancing hoofs heard, than the cowardly +Indians fled. + +Upon arriving at the point where the team had been left standing, they, +at first, saw no living creature save one of the remaining horses. Frank +Drake was found by them stretched under the wagon. When the red-skins +ran, he knew relief was at hand, and had fainted away from loss of +blood. Wounded in almost every part of his body as he was, by great +luck, not one of the holes made by the Pah-utes was dangerous. Two of +them were lying dead on the farther side of the road; and when he +revived, he told those who had rescued him he thought he had seen a +third of them carried away as they were approaching. + +The preceding incident of frontier life is mentioned by me for the +purpose of striking a just balance with regard to the protection +afforded the settlements by the Government. This will be the better +appreciated by the reader, when he hears I have been told that Captain +Smith was "permitted to retire," while Captain Hall has since received +the reward due to his services, by promotion. + +Let me, before closing this volume, relate another incident which +displays, in an even more striking light, the love for Uncle Sam's +relatives which is so very generally exhibited by his servants. + +Some time in 1865 or 1866, a family had moved into Honey Lake Valley +consisting of an old man and his wife, with a daughter, whose charming +face and winning manners might have entitled her to a place in far +better society than Susanville could by any possibility afford her. The +name of the family was Pierson. Their child was called Hattie. They had +settled on a ranche just below Laithrop's place and near the Hot +Springs. Butch' Hasbrouck had, shortly after the family arrived, become +acquainted with them, and greatly to the pleasure of the parents, had +made arrangements to reside under their roof. + +Of course, such fair readers as I may not have terrified into closing +this volume, by the too bloody tales I have written out in these pages, +will readily enough divine the reason which had led him so quickly into +an intimacy with the parents and their daughter. + +Hasbrouck loved Hattie Pierson. + +He had, I believe, told me, only, of his happiness when he became +engaged to her. Certainly, it was not generally known. She was still so +young, that her father had insisted upon the marriage being deferred +until the following year. + +In the meantime, Hattie's beauty had attracted other admirers. + +These she had managed to make understand that she did not love them, +without inflicting upon them, or her own kindly and gentle nature, the +pain of a refusal. One of them was, however, more obstinately +pertinacious. This was a man of the name of Cockrell, who, in spite of +every hint she had given him, persisted in his attentions, and at last +made her an offer of marriage. Being thus cornered, as it were, the girl +was compelled to refuse him. In the hope of softening her refusal by +giving him a positive reason for it, she blushingly owned that she was +engaged to Butch' Hasbrouck. She had learnt to give him the same +appellation which all his friends had so long done. + +What was her horror when Cockrell burst into a furious fit of passion, +not only reproaching her in the vilest manner, but swearing not only to +kill him but the girl also. + +When this occurred, Butch' had been absent with the Rangers. This was +only for a short time, and on his return, Hattie told him how Cockrell +had terrified her. Her lover comforted her by laughing away her fears. +However, on the next day, he made his appearance where I was living, and +asked me to go with him in search of this man. + +"What for, Butch'?" I asked. + +"Nare yer mind, Mose! When I find the darned cuss, yer'll know, soon +enough." + +Of course, I went with him. But our search was a fruitless one. Cockrell +had disappeared from Susanville the day before. No sooner had he heard +that the Rangers had returned than he had quitted the place. When +Hasbrouck found that this was positively so, he frankly told me the +reason which induced him to search for the fellow. + +"But if you had found him, Butch', what was it you meant to do?" + +"What war it I meant to do? In course, shoot the darned blackguard." + +Up to this moment, he had been as cool as a cucumber, or, rather, as the +winter snow on Bear River during my campaign in that locality. Your +quiet men are always dangerous, and so I told him. At the same time, I +consoled him with the reflection that Cockrell's conduct had proved this +fact. After abusing little Hattie Pierson like a dastardly cur, he had +cleared out, immediately after the return of her plighted lover. + +"P'raps yer're right, Mose!" + +"I know I am, my boy! A white liver always tells. So has his." + +"The varmint has run tu the nearest hole he could find," he said with a +smile. + +"If we catch him, we'll smoke him out." + +We both laughed, and we were both wrong to laugh. In the following year, +we again went upon the Humboldt, and shortly after we had done so, old +Mr. Pierson decided to move further south, to Winamucca Valley, near Red +Rock. When the family were passing up the east side of Honey Lake, they +were attacked by Indians and all of them were murdered. When found, the +body of the old man was literally riddled with bullets. Mrs. Pierson and +Hattie were lying in each other's arms, clasped tightly, as if in the +effort to shield each other from death. They had been slain in the same +manner. + +Intelligence of this was brought to us. And I can never forget the +effect it had upon Butch' Hasbrouck when he heard it. + +His face became lividly white, in spite of the tanning by exposure it +had so long had. Without a word, he turned, lifted his rifle and his +shot-pouch, took a small bag which he filled with parched corn, and was +leaving us. Throwing my arm around his neck, I said: + +"Where are you going?" + +"After them as killed my Hattie." + +"Do you think I shall not go with you?" I asked. + +"Hand H'i too?" exclaimed Brighton Bill. + +Arnold and Painter were already preparing to accompany him, and, in less +than an hour, we were all upon the homeward road. + +Our search was, for some two weeks, completely in vain. Although, near +the scene of the murder, keen eyes could make out the trail, it was lost +at a short distance from it, owing to the rocky nature of the soil. +However, where we had first seen it, Butch' affirmed that he had +discovered the track of a white man. Arnold and myself thought as he +did. If so, this man was Cockrell. The belief in this fact made +Hasbrouck untiring in his attempt to recover the trail. + +In spite of every effort on his part and ours, we were unable to do so. +It was a providential chance which enabled us, at last, to fasten upon a +portion of the guilty parties. These were, unfortunately, all red-skins. + +One morning, while on Willow Creek, we fell in with five Pah-utes. It +was a surprise party both for them and us, and a luckless surprise for +the red-skins. There was no chance for their showing fight. We were +nearly five times their own number. Neither could they fly; we had +surrounded them. Butch' had at once recognized upon them portions of old +Pierson's clothing and some of Hattie's trinkets. We could not shoot +them down in cold blood, and after a brief council, decided upon +disarming and taking them with us as prisoners to Susanville. Had +Cockrell been with them, I honestly believe he would never have left the +spot alive. Hasbrouck would certainly have slain him where he stood. +Nevertheless, he made no opposition to our present purpose. In his +horror and wrath at the crime of the white scoundrel, he seemed to pass +over that of the red devils who had aided him in accomplishing it, as +scarcely worthy of notice. + +Accordingly, they were taken to Susanville and placed in a species of +lock-up which there did duty as a jail. + +As we quitted Willow Creek, it may perhaps be mentioned that one of the +red ruffians appealed to us to let him go, on the score that he had done +nothing but "shoot him gun into old white man." This plea of innocence +was necessarily unattended to. + +We had intended to give them a fair trial, and it was to come off very +quickly. It is only in large cities that justice is slow and dilatory. +But on the morning immediately preceding the day which had been fixed +for it, I mean the second morning of their imprisonment, Harry Arnold, +in company with Butch' Hasbrouck, met me. It was in front of J. I. +Steward's hotel. The former said: + +"Cap! we were coming to see you." + +"What is up now?" + +He had given me the rank I had held when out with the Rangers. This he +seldom did, even then, unless we were in active and trying pursuit of +the red-skins. What did it mean? + +"Wall, Mose, du yer want the infarnal red cusses who helped murder my +Hattie to git clean off?" demanded Butch'. + +"Certainly not!" + +"Shut up, Butch'," exclaimed Harry, "until we are somewhere, where none +can hear a word you are saying." + +"Ye're jist right. I will." + +When Arnold spoke last, I noticed that his strong fingers had grasped +the arm of his companion, tightly. Moreover, I was enabled to remark +that the face of the latter had more of its old vitality. This was, +however, at present, by no means of an alluringly agreeable character. +His eyes seemed to have the very devil in them. When he replied to +Harry, he strode rapidly up the street. Arnold and myself followed him, +until we had passed the last house or log shanty in it, and had reached +a clear and open spot. Here I came to a dead halt. + +"And now, man, what is it you have to tell me?" + +"Du yer know the skunk the folks in Washington sent to Pyramid Lake, +last fall, as [3]Injun agint?" + +"Yes!" + +"What d'yer think he's a' goin' tu du with the cuss'd red devils we +cotched up thar," as he said this, he gave a jerk with his thumb in the +direction leading to it, "at Willier Crik?" + +"What can he do with them?" + +"He's a' goin' to rin 'em off to-morrer, on to the Resarvation. So we +can't du nothing with them," Hasbrouck replied savagely. + +"You must be dreaming, Butch'," I exclaimed angrily. "The thieving +scoundrel doesn't dare do it." + +"Doesn't he?" asked Arnold, with a bitter smile. "Why! he isn't even one +of Uncle Sam's blue-coats!" + +Arnold then explained to me how the other Ranger had learned that this +plan had actually been decided upon, and gave me the names of some of +our more timidly loyal fellow-citizens, who had been induced by the +agent to guarantee him their support. What was there for us to do? This +fellow actually represented our respected Uncle! He had probably called +for the assistance of the regulars stationed in the vicinity of +Susanville. Little doubt, perhaps, existed in our minds that our boys +could have whipped them with the help of their friends, who, I firmly +believe, would have turned out in mass, at such a call as we might have +made. But this would have been insurrection, or treason, or something of +the sort. I could see nothing left for us to do, but to grin and bear +it. That was a natural necessity. + +But somehow or other, on that night the matter was removed from our +hands, as well as that of the Indian agent aforesaid. While we were all +sleeping the sound slumber of law-abiding citizens of the United States, +a party of masked men overpowered the jailer, and broke into the +prison. + +On the next morning, a fine tree which stood at the side of Albert +Smith's dwelling-house bore a new kind of fruit. The red-skins who had +murdered Hattie Pierson and her parents were dangling from its branches. +They had paid for their crime with its legitimate penalty. + +It was a sound and vigorous specimen of frontier justice. + +Suspicion pointed its finger at many of my fellow-citizens, possibly, +myself included. The Indian agent was furious. But the perpetrators of +this act of justice, outside of law, kept their own counsel. Up to the +present, as I have reason to know, suspicion has failed to obtain +positive proof of the hands that hung the five Pah-ute assassins. + +This volume is now drawing to a close, as in 1869 I quitted that portion +of the country in which I had so long been residing. Nevertheless, in +the preceding year, one more bloody act occurred which it may be +necessary to record. Hiram Partridge and Vesper Coburn were at this +period keeping the station at Deep Hole Springs, to which my pilgrimage +in the winter of 1861 with lame Tom Bear may be remembered by any one +who has not shrunken from my company up to the present time. Hiram was a +cousin of John Partridge, and had once been a partner with me in working +my claim at the mines on the Humboldt. Vesper Coburn was an old +schoolfellow and playmate of mine, when we were no more than children. +Consequently, I no sooner heard of their murder than I determined, were +it within my power, to avenge it. + +Previous to this, the organization of the Buckskin Rangers had been +broken up. + +Susanville had somewhat declined from its old prosperity. If the +settlement round Honey Lake had been growing at all, it was certainly +not doing so, at its right end. Montana had sprung into sudden +prominence, Idaho was greatly increasing in wealth and the number of its +inhabitants, while other places in the surrounding section of the +country, to the south and west, were rapidly outstripping us. Many of my +old comrades had gone to the two places I have more distinctly named, +while some of them had struck on beyond, as far as Lower California. + +When this outrage occurred, I chanced to be at Reno, a small town on the +line of the Central Pacific Railroad, which was then completed as far as +Salt Lake City. It is at Reno the junction is now formed with the line +for Virginia City, Nevada. + +Some months had passed subsequent to the death of Partridge and Coburn, +when I encountered three red-skins in the vicinity of this place, and +recognized the horse on which one of them was mounted as Hiram's +property. Beside this, they all of them wore articles of clothing which +were decidedly not made by the Indians. Had anything else been wanting +to convince me of their being the criminals, this was supplied by my +personal knowledge of the faces of two of them. These had been in the +actual employment of the murdered men. + +They started on their return to the mountains, and I followed them. + +My pursuit only counted one white, all told--myself. Their number was +triple mine. The odds were sufficient to justify the weaker party in +employing stratagem. Suffice it that I did so, and counted three scalps +against the deaths of my old playmate and recent partner. + +If any doubt had been entertained by me of the justice of this action, +it would have been speedily dispelled by the additional proof shortly +after afforded me. It was only a few days after my return to the +Humboldt, that a red-skin, known by me as Pah-ute Jim, accused me of +killing his brother, one of the two Indians who had been employed by my +murdered friends. + +"Yes!" I unhesitatingly answered. "I did kill him, because he helped to +kill Partridge and Coburn." + +"Umph!" he ejaculated. "Natches heap tell 'um kill. No kill, Natches +heap kill Injin." + +Natches, I ought possibly to mention, was, at this time, the chief of +the Pah-utes. + + * * * * * + +With this incident, I may fairly conclude. My Indian hunting, trapping, +and fighting ended with it. Since this I have been engaged in mining and +other pursuits, having resided for some length of time in Salt Lake City +among the Mormons. Should my first literary venture, my dear reader, +prove tolerably successful, Heaven only can tell whether it may not be +followed by another. If so, it is just within the range of possibility, +I may turn from Indian fighting to Mormon polygamy. I can scarcely say +which you may think the least interesting. But I can honestly vouch for +it, the many-wife business will be the most amusing. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[3] Unfortunately, I am unable to recall the name of this +individual, and therefore cannot pillory it. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Buckskin Mose, by Buckskin Mose + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42619 *** |