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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/9805.txt b/9805.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..be3b0aa --- /dev/null +++ b/9805.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4695 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Second William Penn, by William H. Ryus + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Second William Penn + A true account of incidents that happened along the old Santa Fe Trail + +Author: William H. Ryus + +Posting Date: November 3, 2011 [EBook #9805] +Release Date: February, 2006 +First Posted: October 19, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECOND WILLIAM PENN *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + + + +THE SECOND WILLIAM PENN + +A true account of incidents that happened along the old Santa Fe Trail +in the Sixties. + +BY W.H. RYUS + + +1913 + + + +PREFACE + +By Col. Milton Moore + +[Illustration: COL. MILTON MOORE.] + +You who take the trouble to read these reminiscences of the Santa Fe +Trail may be curious to know how much of them are literally true. + +The writer of this preface was intimately acquainted with the author of +this book, and knows that he has not yielded to temptation to draw upon +his imagination for the incidents related herein, but has adhered +strictly to the truth. Truth is, sometimes, "stranger than fiction," and +is an indispensable requisite to accurate history, yet it may sometime +destroy the charm of fiction. + +The author of this book had a real and exceptional knowledge of Indian +character and Indian traits, and his genuine tact in trading and +treating with them, and the success which he had in sustaining friendly +relations with them was one of the wonders of the West, and was a +circumstance of much comment by those who had occasion to use the +Santa Fe Trail. + +It is small wonder, then, that "Little Billy of the Stage Coach" won for +himself the title of the "Second William Penn." + +In the early Sixties, the region through which the Old Trail passed was +an unexplored territory where constant struggles for supremacy between +the Wild Red Man and the hardy White man were carried on. + +Many and tragical were the hardships endured by those who attempted to +open up this famous highway and establish a line of communication +between the East and the West. The only method of travel was by odd +freight caravans drawn by oxen or the old-fashioned, lumbering +uncomfortable Concord Stage Coaches drawn by five mules. + +The stage coach carried besides its passengers the United States mail +and express. + +An escort of United States militia often accompanied the stage coach in +order to protect it against attacks of the Indians at that time when the +plains were invested with the Arapahoes, Comanches, Cheyennes, Kiowas +and other tribes, some of whom were on the warpath, bedecked in war +paint and feathers. + +The Indians were often in search of something to satisfy their hunger, +rather than the scalps of the white men. The author of this book won +their confidence and friendship by dividing with them his rations, and +showing them that he was willing to compensate them for the privilege of +traveling through their country. He had so many friendly conferences and +made so many treaties with them while on his trips across the plains +that he came to be called the "Second William Penn." + +He came into personal contact with the famous chiefs of the Indian +tribes, and won their good will to such an extent that their behavior +toward him and his passengers was always most excellent. + +The author has, in these pages, told of many encounters between the +whites and the Indians that were narrated to him by the Indians. He +holds the Indians blameless for many of the attacks attributed to them, +and calls attention to the Chivington Massacre and the Massacre of the +Nine Mile Ridge, related in the following pages. + +He begs the readers not to censure too severely the Indian who simply +pleaded for food with which to satisfy his hunger, and sought to protect +his wigwam from the murderous attacks of unscrupulous white men. + +I gladly recommend this tale as sound reading to all who desire to know +the truth concerning the incidents which actually occurred along the Old +Trail, and the real friendly relations which existed between the Indians +and the white men, such as our Author and Kit Carson, who were well +acquainted with their motives and characteristics. + +Respectfully submitted, + +MILTON MOORE. + + +"Bathe now in the stream before you, Wash the war-paint from your faces, +Wash the blood-stain from your fingers, Bury your war-clubs and your +weapons, Break the red stone from this quarry, Mould and make it into +Peace Pipes, Take the reeds that grow beside you, Deck them with your +brightest feathers, Smoke the calumet together, And as brothers live +henceforward." + +(Hiawatha.) + + + + +REMINISCENCE OF THE OLD SANTA FE TRAIL. + +BY W. H. RYUS, MAIL AND EXPRESS MESSENGER AND CONDUCTOR. + +Introductory + +W. H. Ryus, better known as "the Second William Penn" by passengers and +old settlers along the line of the Old Santa Fe Trail because of his +rare and exceptional knowledge of Indian traits and characteristics and +his ability to trade and treat with them so tactfully, was one of the +boy drivers of the stage coach that crossed the plains while the West +was still looked upon as "wild and wooly," and in reality was fraught +with numerous, and oftentimes, murderous dangers. + +At the time this story is being recalled, our author is in his +seventy-fourth year, but with a mind as translucent as a sea of glass, +he recalls vividly many incidents growing out of his travels over the +Santa Fe Trail. + +Having the same powers of appreciation we all possess, for confidences +reposed in him, he lovingly recalls how his passengers would press him +to know whether he would be the driver or conductor to drive the coach +on their return. Some of these passengers declare that it was really +beautiful to see the adoration many Indians heaped upon the driver, +"Little Billy of the Stage Coach," and they understood from the +overtures of the Indians toward "Billy" that they were safe in his +coach, as long as they remained passive to his instructions, which were +that they allow him to deal with whatever red men they chanced to meet. + +Sometimes a band of Indians would follow his coach for miles, protecting +their favorite, as it were, from dangers that might assail him. They +were always peaceable and friendly toward Billy in exchange for his +hospitality and kindness. It was a by-word from Kansas City to Santa Fe +that "Billy" was one boy driver and conductor who gave the Indians +something more than abuse to relate to their squaws around their wigwam +campfires. + +The dangerous route was the Long Route, from Fort Larned, Kansas, to +Fort Lyon, Colorado, the distance was two hundred and forty miles with +no stations between. On this route we used two sets of drivers. This +gave one driver a chance to rest a week to recuperate from his long trip +across the "Long Route." A great many of the drivers had nothing but +abuse for the Indians because they were afraid of them. This made the +Indians feel, when they met, that the driver considered him a mortal +foe. However, our author says that had the drivers taken time and +trouble to have made a study of the habits of the Indians, as he had +done, that they could have just as easily aroused their confidence and +secured this Indian protection which he enjoyed. + +It was a hard matter to keep these long route drivers because of the +unfriendliness that existed between them and the Indians, yet the Old +Stage Company realized a secureness in Billy Ryus, and knew he would +linger on in their employ, bravely facing the dangers feared by the +other drivers and conductors until such a time as they could employ +other men to take his place. + +Within the pages of this book W. Ryus Stanton relates many amusing and +interesting anecdotes which occurred on his stage among his passengers. +From passengers who always wanted to return on his coach he always +parted with a lingering hope that he would be the driver (or conductor, +as the case might be) who would return them safely to their destination. +Passengers were many times "tender-footed," as the Texas Rangers call +the Easterners. Billy soothingly replied to all questions of fear, +soothingly, with ingenuity and policy. + +Within Billy's coach there was carried, what seemed to most passengers, +a superfluity of provision. It was his fixed theory that to feed an +Indian was better than to fight one. He showed his passengers the need +of surplus foods, if he had an idea he would be visited by his Red +Friends, who may have been his foes, but for his cunning in devising +entertainment and hospitality for them. The menus of these luncheons +consisted chiefly of buffalo sausage, bacon, venison, coffee and canned +fruits. He carried the sausage in huge ten-gallon camp kettles. + +The palace coaches that cross the old trail today pulled by the +smoke-choked engines of the A.T. & Santa Fe R.R. carry no provision for +yelling Comanches, Cheyennes, Arapahoes, etc. They lose no time treating +and trading with the Indians, and are never out of sight of the +miraculous changes exhibited by the advanced hand of civilization. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +In 1861 He Starts as Mail Driver. + +In the spring of 1861 I went home to Burlingame, Kansas, and went to +work on the farm of O.J. Niles. I had just turned the corner of +twenty-one summers, and I felt that life should have a "turning point" +somewhere, so I took down with the ague. This very ague chanced to be +the "turning point" I was looking for and is herewith related. + +Mr. Veil of the firm of Barnum, Veil & Vickeroy, who had the mail +contract from Kansas City, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, stopped +over at Burlingame, Kansas, and there met Mr. Niles, the man for whom I +was working. Mr. Veil told Mr. Niles that he wanted a farmer boy to +drive on the Long Route because the stage drivers he had were cowards +and not satisfactory. Niles told him that he had a farm hand, but, he +added, "he won't go, because he has the ague." "Oh, well," Mr. Veil +replied, "that's no matter, I know how to cure him; I'll tell him how to +cure himself." So they sent for me, and Veil told me how to get rid of +the ague. He said, "you dig a ditch in the ground a foot deep, and strip +off your clothing and bury yourself, leaving only your head uncovered, +and sleep all night in the Mother Earth." I did it. I found the earth +perfectly dry and warm. I had not much more than engulfed myself when +the influences of the dry soil began to draw all the poison out of my +body, and I had, as I most firmly believe, the most peaceful and +delightful slumber I had ever experienced since infancy. From that day +until the present time I have never had another chill. I gained 40 +pounds of flesh in the next three months. I have known consumption to be +cured with the same "ague cure" on the plains. + +The distance from Kansas City to Fort Larned, Kansas, is three hundred +miles. The distance from Fort Larned to Fort Lyon, New Mexico, is two +hundred and forty miles, and from Fort Lyon to Fort Union it is one +hundred and eighty miles, from Fort Union to Santa Fe it is one hundred +and eighty miles, making nine hundred miles for the entire trip. + +The drive from Fort Larned, Kansas, to Fort Lyon, Colorado, was known as +the Long Route, being 240 miles, with no stations between; but across +that treacherous plain of the Santa Fe Trail I made the trip sixty-five +times in four years, driving one set of mules the entire distance, +camping out and sleeping on the ground. + +The trips were made with five mules to each coach, and we took two mules +with us to supply the place of any mule that happened to get sick. +Sometimes, strange to note, going on the down grade from Fort Lyon to +Fort Larned we would have a sick mule, but this never occurred on the +up-grade to Fort Lyon. When a mule was sick we left it at Little Coon or +Big Coon Creek. Little Coon Creek is forty miles from Fort Larned. When +Fort Larned was my headquarters I always went after my sick mules, if I +had any, the next day and brought them in. Fort Larned was the regular +built fort with a thousand soldiers, a settlers' store, and the Stage +Company's station with its large corral of mules and horses; it was the +headquarters of the Long Route to furnish the whole route to Santa Fe. +If the sick mules happened to be at Little Coon Creek, the round trip +would be eighty miles, and it would sometimes take me and my little race +pony several days to make the trip, owing of course to the condition of +the sick mule and its ability to travel. Camping out on these trips, I +used my saddle for a pillow while my spread upon the ground served as my +bed. I would tie the lariat to the saddle so the pony would graze and +not get too far away from our "stomping ground." If the wolves came +around, which they often did, the pony would come whinnying to me, stamp +on the ground and wake me up. I usually scared them away by shooting +over their heads. + +When we had several passengers, and wished to make time, we took two +coaches with two drivers and one conductor who had charge over the two +coaches. There was the baggage of several passengers to carry, bedding +for ourselves, provision for the whole crew and feed for the mules. We +usually made from fifty to sixty miles a day, owing to the condition of +the road and weather. + +Sometimes coyotes and mountain wolves would molest us. The mountain wolf +is about as large as a young calf, and at times they are very dangerous +and blood-thirsty. At one time when my brother, C.W. Ryus, was with me +and we were going into Fort Larned with a sick mule, five of those large +and vicious mountain wolves suddenly appeared as we were driving along +the road. They stood until we got within a hundred feet of them. I +cracked my whip and we shot over their heads. They parted, three going +on one side of the road and two on the other. They went a short distance +and turned around and faced us. We thought we were in for a battle, and +again we fired over their heads, and, greatly to our satisfaction and +peace of mind, they fled. We were glad to be left alone and were willing +to leave them unharmed. Had we used our guns to draw blood it is +possible that they would have given chase and devoured us. We would not +have been in the least alarmed had we advanced upon five Indians, for we +would have invited them to join us and go to the station with us and get +something to eat. Not so with the wolves, they might have exacted our +bodies before they were satisfied with the repast. + +I was never afraid of Indians, so hardly ever took an escort. My +greatest fear was that some white man would get frightened at the sight +of the reds and kill one of their band, and I knew if that should happen +we were in grave danger. I always tried to impress my passengers that to +protect ourselves we must guard against the desire to shoot an Indian. +Not knowing how to handle an Indian would work chaos among us. The +Indians did not like the idea of the white race being afraid of +them--the trains amassing themselves together seemed to mean to the +Indian that they were preparing for battle against them, and that made +them feel like "preparing for war in time of peace." + +At one time on my route I remember as we were passing Fort Dodge, +Kansas, a fort on the Arkansas River, there was a caravan of wagons +having trouble with the Indians. I had an escort of some ten or fifteen +soldiers, but we passed through the fray with no trouble or +hair-splitting excitement. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +The Nine Mile Ridge Massacre. + +During the coldest time in winter, in the month of January, 1863, nine +freight wagons left Santa Fe, New Mexico, on their way East. A few miles +before they reached the Nine Mile Ridge they encountered a band of +almost famished Indians, who hailed with delight the freight wagons, +thinking they could get some coffee and other provision. In this lonely +part of the world, seventy-five miles from Fort Larned, Kansas, and a +hundred and sixty-five miles from Fort Lyon, without even a settler +between, it was uncomfortable to even an Indian to find himself +without rations. + +The Nine Mile Ridge was a high elevation above the Arkansas River road +running close to the river, on top of the ridge. The Indians followed +the wagons several miles, imploring the wagon boss to give them +something to eat and drink, which request he steadily refused in no +uncertain voice. When it was known by the red men that the wagon boss +was refusing their prayers for subsistence they knew of no other method +to enforce division other than to take it from the wagons. + +The leader of the band went around to the head of the oxen and demanded +them to corral, stop and give them some provision. During the corraling +of the train one wagon was tipped partly over and the teamster shot an +Indian in his fright. Then the Indians picked up their wounded warrior, +placed him on a horse and left the camp, determined to return and take +an Indian's revenge upon the caravan. The wagon boss went into camp well +satisfied--but not long was his satisfaction to last. + +After the Indians departed several teamsters who thought they knew what +was desired by the Indians reproached their wagon-boss for not having +complied with their request to give them food. His action in refusing +food resulted in a mutiny on the part of the teamsters, and after the +oxen were turned out to graze, the dispute between the teamsters and the +wagon-boss became so turbulent that if a few peaceably inclined drivers +had not arraigned themselves on the side of the wagon-boss he would have +been lynched. + +Before daylight the Indians returned and attacked the wagons and killed +all the whites but one man who escaped down the bank into the river. He +floated down until he was out of hearing of the Indians. When he was +almost worn out and half frozen he got out of the river, wrung the water +from his clothing and started for Fort Larned, seventy-five miles +distant. After leaving the water he noticed a fire, and knew +instinctively that the Indians had set fire to their wagons, and +wondered how many, if any, of the company had escaped as he had so +far done. + +Late in the afternoon of the next day a troop of soldiers discovered +this man several miles from Fort Larned in an almost exhausted +condition, dropping down and getting up again. The commanding officer +sent out some soldiers and brought him to the fort. I talked with this +man, and he told me that if the wagon-boss had given the Indians +something to eat, entertained them a little, or given them the smallest +hospitality, he believed they would all have been saved from +that massacre. + +He said the Indians plead with the wagon-boss for food, and he thought +if the teamster had not lost his equanimity and made that first luckless +shot the massacre of the Nine Mile Ridge would never have become a thing +of history. + +This tragedy created a great fright and made traveling across the plains +difficult. The Indians were hostile only because they did not know the +minds of the white men, and what their attitude toward them would be, if +they were not always prepared to defend themselves. Therefore the people +traveling on the plains in trains amassed themselves together for +protection, and the people at Fort Larned with their soldiers were very +much wrought up over the atrocious murders and the destruction of +property all along the whole Western frontier. In time of war one false +step may cause the death of hundreds. In this case the commanding +officer of the fort took the precaution to send out runners to call the +Indians together to the fort, in order to learn, if possible, the cause +of this fearful massacre and to get their statement concerning +their action. + +The two Indians who came in verified the statement of the ox-driver, and +declared that if the teamster had not killed their inoffensive warrior +who only asked for something to eat there would have been no trouble at +all from them. + +In defense of the Indian I will say that the people in general were all +the time seeking to abuse him. In almost all instances where I have read +of Indian troubles I have noticed that at all times it grew out of the +fact that the whites invariably raised the trouble and were always the +aggressors. Nevertheless, newspaper reports and any other report for +that matter, laid the blame at the door of the wigwam of the red man of +the forest. + +It is my opinion that most of the trouble on the frontier was uncalled +for. The white man learned to fear the Indians always, when there was no +attempt on the part of the Indian to do him harm. Many times while I was +crossing the plains have bands of from thirty to forty Indians or more +come to us, catching up with us or passing us by. Had I not understood +them and their intentions as well as I did we would more than likely +have had trouble with them or have suffered severe inconvenience. We +never thought of fear when they were going along the road, and many +times I would call them when I would camp for meals to come and get a +cup of coffee. They would go back with us to camp. We did not care what +their number was, we would always divide our provisions with them. If +there were a large number of Indians, and our provisions were scarce, I +would tell them so, but also tell them that notwithstanding that fact I +still had some for them. Then if they only got a few sups of coffee +around and a little piece of bread they were always profoundly grateful +and satisfied that we had done our best. + +In order to let them know we were scarce of bread, etc., I would say, +"poka te keta pan;" in the Mexican language that is interpreted "very +little bread." Bread, in the Mexican or Indian language, is "pan," and +when they understood they would say "si," which is interpreted "yes." +They showed us their appreciation for the little they received just as +though we had given them a whole loaf of bread apiece. + +If we only had a few cups of coffee and had seventy or eighty Indian +guests we would give it to one of the Indians and he would divide it +equally among his number. He would place the cup so it would contain an +equal amount of the coffee. Then one of the Indians would get up from +the ground (they always sit on the ground grouped all about us when they +ate with us) and take the cups and hand them around to every fifth man, +or such a one as would make it average to every cup of coffee they had. +The Indians would break the bread and give to each one, according to +what his share equally divided would be. When they come to drink their +coffee every Indian who had a cup would raise it to their lips at once, +take a swallow of the beverage, then pass the cup on to the next one. +They did the bread the same way. After finishing their repast they +invariably thanked us profusely in their Indian style for what they had +been given. There were times when I had plenty of provisions to give +them all they needed or required to satisfy their hunger. At no time was +my coach surrounded with hostile intent without departing from it in +friendliness. At the same time I knew they had some great grievances. + +[Illustration: The First William Penn, in 1670, Treating with the +Indians. + +This picture is placed in the book for the purpose of drawing attention +to the methods employed by the First William Penn in connection with the +same methods employed by the Second William Penn to successful treaty +with the Indians. His friendliness overcame any hostilities which they +might have previously had.] + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Ryus' Coach Is Surrounded by Indians, Their Animosities are Turned to +Friendliness, Through Ryus' Wit and Ingenuity--"Hail the Second William +Penn." + +At one time in the year of 1864 when I arrived in Fort Larned on my way +from Kansas City, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, there was a great +scare, and a commanding officer, Colonel Ford, told me that they +expected a raid on them most any time from Indians. + +In July of that year the Cheyennes, Kiowas, Arapahoes and some Comanche +and Hickory Apaches were camped a mile north of Fort Larned. The +commanding officer of the fort told me he could only let me have about +thirty soldiers for an escort. I told him that if we should have trouble +with the Indians thirty soldiers would be just as good as a thousand, +and that I had rather take my chances with thirty soldiers than more. + +We left Fort Larned a little before noon and arrived at Big Coon Creek, +twenty-two miles from Fort Larned, where we stopped for supper at about +four o'clock in the afternoon. A lieutenant of my escort in charge of +the soldiers put out a guard. While we were eating supper the guards +shot off their guns and came rushing into camp with news that a thousand +or more Indians were hidden along the banks of Coon Creek. The +lieutenant placed double guard and came out to me and gravely suggested +that we go back to Fort Larned and get more soldiers before attempting +to cross farther into the Great Divide. + +I told the lieutenant to take his soldiers and go back to Fort Larned +and I would go on. He asked me why I did not go alone in the first +place. I told him that I needed him NOW, and he asked me how that was, I +told him that if he would take his soldiers and go back to Fort Larned +the Indians would follow him and let me alone. He said he would go with +me. We finished our dinner and I went to the soldiers' wagons and got +two big armfuls of bread, about sixty pounds of bacon and a large bucket +of coffee. I took them down to our camp, spread a newspaper upon the +ground, laid the bacon, bread and coffee on the spread, placed a handful +of matches near the bread, then went to our own mess and took several +cans of coffee and bread from it, left them one of our buckets and an +extra coffee pot that I carried with me, and got a large camp kettle +from the soldiers and left it for the Indians. Then I gathered a few +more buffalo chips and placed on the fire to keep it from going out, and +my plan was complete. + +I told the lieutenant to take his soldiers and drive on over the hill +just out of sight and to stop there. I sent one of my coaches ahead and +all of my passengers got into that coach. I told my driver to go up to +the top of the hill and stop the mules there, but to keep in sight of +me. I had my coach driven up the road about 100 yards, and on looking up +the creek I saw one Indian in war paint and feathers looking around the +bluff at me. That was the only one of their band I could see, so I got +up on top of my coach and motioned for him to come to me. + +[Illustration: "Billy of the Stage Coach," Treating with the Indians.] + +Two Indians came up to within 100 feet of me, stopped and looked all +around. (Indians are very cautious that they do not get caught in a +trap). They rode up closer, looking intently at me all the time and +talking to each other. I motioned with both hands while I was standing +on top of the coach to come and I made them understand that I was +friendly. They answered by Indian signs, then gave a big yell,--an +Indian whoop--that liked to have froze the blood in the veins of the +passengers. They gave this whoop three times, and in an instant, it +seemed to me, five or six hundred Indians came down and formed in a line +about the coach on top of which I stood. I bowed to them and pointed to +the supper I had prepared for them. "They came, they saw, and were +conquered." They bowed to me in their Indian language and signs +expressing their gratitude for this hospitality. One old Indian came +forward, laid his bow and arrow and spears upon the ground (the Indian +sign of peace) and motioned for me to come and eat with them. I motioned +to them that I must go on, so they said good-bye. When I got to the top +of the hill I had my coach brought to a standstill. I slapped my hands +together and again motioned them good-bye. All at once these Indians +raised their hands and bade me good-bye, saluting me. These Indians were +fierce looking creatures in their war-paint and with their spears, which +they do not carry unless they expect trouble. That was the last time I +saw those Indians on that trip. + +We had no other excitement on our way to Fort Lyons, unless the +encounter with the buffalo herds could be so called. A large herd of +buffalo were grazing on the plains and was not an unusual sight for the +drivers and me. However, when we came in sight of them one passenger +cried out, "Stop the coach, stop the coach; see, there are a thousand +buffalo standing belly deep in the lake." "Oh," I said, "you do not see +any water--that isn't a lake." "What?" one said, "do our eyes really +deceive us out here on these infernal plains? If it is not water and a +lake those buffalo are standing in, what in the name of sense is it?" I +told them that what they saw was nothing more than merely buffalo at a +distance on the plain; that what they saw that resembled water was +simply an optical illusion, called the "mirage." Webster describes the +word as follows: "An optical illusion arising from an unequal refraction +in the lower strata of the atmosphere and causing remote objects to be +seen double, as if reflected in a mirror, or to appear as if suspended +in the air. It is frequently seen in the deserts, presenting the +appearance of water. The Fata Morgana and Looming are species of +mirage." The mirage is one of the most beautiful scenes I ever beheld +and can only be seen on the plains or in deserts in its complete beauty. +It has to be seen to be appreciated. It makes a buffalo look like it had +two tails. Everything looks double. + +We had not much sooner spied the buffalo than they spied us and they +started on the run across the road ahead of us. We were compelled to +wait a half an hour until they had crossed the road. We passed ox trains +every day or so going to and from New Mexico. In a few days we were in +Fort Lyon, where we separated from the passengers, and we drivers would +take the incoming coach and its passengers and drive back along the +Long Route. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +The Chivington Massacre. + +There was a station on the Union Pacific Road called Kit Carson; near +this station is a place called Sand Creek. It was at the latter named +place where Major John L. Chivington made his bloody raid. + +In the summer of 1864 the combined Indian tribe went on the warpath. +They were camped north of Fort Larned, garrisoned with Kansas troops and +a section of a Wisconsin battery in charge of Lieutenant Croker, and +Captain Ried was the commanding officer. The Indians first commenced war +at Fort Larned and ran off some horses, beef cattle and some milch cows +that were the property of James Brice. + +At the time Chivington made this raid there was camped at Sand Creek +about one hundred and fifty lodges of women, children and a few decrepit +Indians. This was one of the most brutal massacres a white man was ever +known to have commanded. With some sixty soldiers he said he would go +and "clean 'em up." He got there at daybreak and began to fire on the +Indians and killed a great many women and children. He burned several +lodges, confiscated their provisions, blankets and other supplies. The +Indian braves who were able to fight had some poisoned arrows which they +used advantageously. Every soldier they hit was either seriously injured +or killed. Up in the day the Indians got reinforcements and gave +Chivington's raiders quite a chase. These Indians were left entirely +destitute, for Chivington had seized all the supplies and either loaded +them into his wagons or destroyed them by fire. For that reason the +surviving Indians commenced depredations on the stock and other property +of settlers at Fort Larned. + +It is said, but as to the truthfulness of the assertion I do not vouch, +for it did not happen under my personal knowledge--that a man by the +name of McGee, who was a teamster on a train loaded with flour for the +Government, was captured not far from there and was scalped and left for +dead; that the Eastern mail happening to come along shortly after, found +the body and placed it upon the boot of the coach; that before arriving +at Fort Larned they found that instead of carrying a corpse, as it was +at first supposed, they carried a living man. This man was taken to a +hospital and got well. He raised a family of children and his sons, some +of them live in or around Independence, Missouri. This man, Mr. McGee, +is said to be the only scalped man in the United States who lived after +being scalped. + +After this brutal crime against the Indians, trouble commenced on the +Santa Fe Trail, and the sight of a "pale face" brought memories of the +assassination of their tribe by Chivington and his raiders. + +At this Indian lodge where the Chivington massacre occurred lived the +father-in-law of John Powers. He was known the plains over as a +peaceable old Indian (Old One Eye), the chief of the Cheyennes, but his +"light was put out" during this desperate fight with Chivington. + +Right here I will give an account of the marriage of John Powers to the +daughter of "Old One Eye." + +Mr. Powers had crossed the plains several times as wagon-boss for +Colonel Charles Bent, who was the builder of Bent's Fort, also the new +fort at Fort Lyons. He was also wagon boss for Mr. Winsor, the settler +at Fort Lyon at the time of his marriage to the daughter of the +old chief. + +Mr. Powers' mother, Mrs. Fogel, and his stepfather received the news of +Powers' marriage with many misgivings and rebuked him severely for +having made such a choice, finally vowing that they disowned him and +never wanted to see him again. With a finality not at all disconsolate +John Powers set about to polish his Indian wife for the polite society +of his mother, so he sent her to school, chaperoned by Miss Mollie Bent. + +At the school at West Port this Indian girl soon excelled and under the +careful management of Miss Bent the wife of John Powers soon became an +expert in domestic science. But Powers, getting impatient for a meeting +between his mother and wife, asked Mollie Bent to arrange it. So +accordingly Miss Mollie visited at the home of her friends, the Fogels, +and during the gossip Miss Bent casually remarked to Mrs. Fogel that she +had a most charming friend, an Indian maid, over at the school whom she +would like to introduce to her. + +When Mrs. Fogel insisted upon her coming over the following Saturday, +bringing with her her friend, Mollie Bent's heart was little less glad +than John Powers. + +At last the eventful day had arrived. Mollie, accompanied with John's +"Indian squaw," went to the home of Mrs. Fogel. The high-spiritedness of +the Indian maid soon captivated Mrs. Fogel. After they had eaten supper +Mrs. Fogel was ordered to go to the front porch and entertain her other +visitor, Miss Mollie Bent, while she (Mrs. John Powers) did up the +kitchen work and cleared up the dining room. Mrs. Fogel did so with +reluctance, wondering greatly just how a real Indian would do up her +greatly "civilized" kitchen work. But she did not wonder long, for very +soon, indeed, the daughter of "Old One Eye" came to inquire of her host +where to place the dishes and how to arrange the dining room. + +Mrs. Fogel was as pleased as she was surprised at the neatness and +despatch with which the work had been done and told her daughter-in-law +so, little knowing that she was dealing with her own son's wife. Each +Saturday after this John Powers' wife visited at the home of her +mother-in-law and learned many things from Mrs. Fogel that only endeared +her more to the Fogel family. Swiftness and despatch is one of the +Indian characteristics. + +Early in the spring of 1863 Colonel Bent sold John Powers his train of +nine wagons for $10,000. Powers then started to the states in February +to load up. He loaded with corn to be taken to Fort Union, New Mexico, +for the Government. With his two original wagons his trip netted him +$10,000. He immediately returned to the states to make his second trip +and to visit his wife and Miss Mollie Bent in Kansas City, Missouri. His +mother did not know he was there. When he arrived in Kansas City from +his second trip he decided to put his "spurs" on, so to speak, so he +bought him a fine carriage, a team of prancing horses, and went like a +"Prince of Plenty" to the home of his mother. + +It had already been planned that Hiawatha One Eye Powers, that is, Mrs. +John Powers, would be ensconced at the home of Mrs. Fogel, his mother. +Mollie Bent was there, and girl like, was delighted over the romance +being enacted under that roof. The heart of the Indian maid was beating +a happy tattoo under her civilian dress. + +A cloud of dust up the road announced that John was now near the +parental roost. Mrs. Fogel with her motherly solicitude was awaiting him +with happy tears dimming her eyes. She took in with all a mother's +fondness his high-stepping prancers, his prosperous appearance, last but +not least the entire absence of the Indian daughter-in-law. + +When the greeting of mother and son was over they went into the house +where Mrs. Fogel introduced her Indian friend, remarking as she did so +that she was a rare and exquisite wild flower of the plains. +Consternation and surprise chased themselves over Mrs. Fogel's features +when she, turning, beheld her protege pressed upon her son's breast. +With eyes ablaze with happy lights he led her to his mother, saying, +"Mother, I now introduce you to my wife." + +When Mrs. Fogel had recovered from the surprise which accompanied the +shock of this disclosure she seized the girl in her motherly arms, and +if ever a girl got a "hugging" Hiawatha got one from an ACTUAL +mother-in-law. + +Mollie Bent was hysterical, laughing and crying at the same time. + +When John Powers had loaded his train he took back with him his wife and +her friend, Miss Mollie Bent, as far as Fort Lyon. Fifteen years after +this incident I met John Powers in Topeka, Kansas. He looked at me a +long time and I returned his stare. Finally he said, "Ho, there, ain't +your name Billy, the boy who used to get along with the Indians so well, +cuss your soul?" I told him that I was, and he said, "I'm right glad to +see you again, Billy." I asked him if he wasn't John Powers, and he told +me he was. Then I asked him his business in Topeka, and he told me he +had just brought his two daughters to Bethany College at Topeka, Kansas. + +Mr. Powers was at that time badly afflicted with cancer of the tongue, +and he told me that he hadn't long to live. He also told me that he had +bought the Old Arcadia Indian Camp on the Picketwaire River (Picketwaire +means River of Lost Souls or Purgatory to the Indians). The camp is +between Fort Lyons and Bent's Old Fort on the opposite of the river. +Some of the land at that time was rated at $50 per acre and is now, most +of it, worth $100 per acre. His rating at the time of death in Dun & +Bradstreet's Commercial Report was four million dollars. That was the +last time I ever saw him. + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Barnum, Veil and Vickeroy Go a Journeying With Barlow and +Sanderson.--Vickeroy Is Branded "U.S.M." + +In the fall of 1863 I quit the Long Route and went up on what is known +as the Denver Branch, driving from Bent's Old Fort, Colorado, to +Boonville, Colorado. On my last drive across the Long Route I had a +party of "dead heads." They were the "bosses"--owners of the Stage Coach +Company Line. That is, Barnum, Veil and Vickeroy were, and Barlow and +Sanderson were going over the trip with these fellows with a view of +buying out the interest of Vickeroy. There were three more passengers, +all on fun intent. + +All of these fellows were, we will call it for lack of a better word, +"on a toot" and having lots of fun. They had poked so much fun at +Vickeroy that they finally got the best of him. Vickeroy enlisted the +three passengers on his side and sought an opportunity to "turn the +tables," so they made it up to brand Barlow and Sanderson with the +branding iron that was used to brand the company's mules. This iron had +the letters U.S.M. (United States Mail) on it. When I placed the frying +pan on the fire and it commenced to "siz," Vickeroy and two of the +passengers stood Barlow on his head and told him they were going to use +the branding iron. Barlow thought the branding iron was surely going to +be used upon the seat of his pants, but the accommodating Vickeroy had +the frying pan used instead. He gave the victim three taps on the seat +of his pants with the hot frying pan, one tap for "U," one for "S" and +the other for "M," then slapped him soundly and said, "Go, Mr. Mule, +when the Indians find you they will take you to the station because your +brand shows you to be the 'United States Male.'" Barlow's howls and +Vickeroy's laughter made those old plains resound with noises which may +have caused the spooks to walk that night. They were having lots of fun +about the "branded 'incoming' mule," or the new member of the company +that might be. All went smoothly a few days, but Vickeroy would +occasionally ask us how long they thought it would take a brand to wear +off so people could not know their "mule." + +"Every dog has its day," and the day for Barlow's revenge was slowly but +surely coming. The second day after the episode described I had the +frying pan over the red hot coals fairly sizzling with a white heat +ready to place my buffalo steak onto it, but Barlow told me to "wait a +minute" and he said he "would attend to that skillet." I saw something +was in the air, so I took a back seat and awaited events. + +About the time Vickeroy was unraveling some big yarn, all unconscious of +the designs Barlow had upon him, Veil and Sanderson grabbed him and had +quite a tussle with him to get him in a position to apply the branding +iron. The imprint left on the seat of Vickeroy's pants was not U.S.M. +this time, it was burned and scorched flesh, for lo, the tussle with his +determined tormentors had lasted too long,--the frying pan had gotten +too hot for good branding purposes, and for the comfort of the branded +one's hams. + +When Mr. Barlow saw the condition of Mr. Vickeroy's clothing, he was +full of apologies, but the passengers would hear nothing of them, saying +that it was always bad for unruly mules when they got to kicking, and +Vickeroy would have to swallow his chagrin. The windup was a new "seat" +installed and a cushion for the "kicking mule." + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Colonel Boone Gets Judge Wright's Enmity. Lincoln Appoints Col. A.G. +Boone Indian Agent. Arrangements Are Made With Commissioners For Indian +Annuities. Mr. Haynes Sends Troops to Burn Out Colonel Boone. + +Driving from Bent's Old Fort to Boonville, Colorado, was usually a +pleasant drive for me. After I quit the Long Route and took up the +Denver Branch, I made my home with Colonel A.G. Boone, who is a great +great grandson of the immortal Daniel Boone. + +President Lincoln was inaugurated in March, 1860, he saw Major Filmore +of Denver, Colorado, paymaster of the army, who was in Washington during +the last of March after the inauguration. He asked him if he knew of a +good man, capable of going among the Indians to make treaties with them, +so that transportation could cross the plains without escorts. Major +Filmore told the President that he knew Colonel A.G. Boone to be a +fearless man, that he was not only fearless, competent and capable, but +that no other man could do the work as efficiently as Colonel Boone, +because the Indians were so friendly disposed toward him. Lincoln said: +"Major, I wish you would see this Colonel for me, immediately. Give him +funds to come to Washington at once, for I want to have a consultation +with him on this 'Indian question.'" + +Colonel Boone went to Washington, as arranged, and gave President +Lincoln his views on the subject under consideration. Colonel Boone, in +company with the President of the United States, went to the Board of +the Indian Commissioners. After talking over the various ways of +handling Indians, and giving his opinion of the different ways to +accomplish a safer journey across the plains without encountering +hostilities from Indians--he asked the Commissioners, and President, +what it was they particularly desired him to do? They told him that they +had sent for him to find out from him what he would do. They told him +they wanted him to sketch out how he would first proceed to such a task. +"Well," Colonel Boone replied, "do you want to give the Indians any +annuities, or what would be called annuities--quarterly annuities of +clothing, provisions, etc., and if so, how much, and so on?" The +commissioners made a rating. After considerable figuring, submitted +their figures to Boone's consideration. Upon looking the figures over, +Boone told them to cut those figures half in two. They thought they had +figured as closely as Boone would think expedient, and rather feared the +amount they had first allowed each one was too small. Colonel Boone +said: "If you figure the weight of the product you send them, you will +find it will take a good many trains to transport it yearly." Said he: +"Not only cut it in two, gentlemen, but cut it into eighths. Then +perhaps you can be sure to keep your agreement with them." + +As to agreements, Indians are still, and have always been most +particular about living up to them. Personally, I would not make an +agreement with an Indian, however trivial, that I did not mean to carry +out to the letter. They have always been with me most careful to comply +with the terms of their contracts. + +Colonel Boone was made Indian Agent, but President Lincoln told Colonel +Boone that he could not furnish him very many soldiers as escort on +account of the war. Mr. Boone told him he did not want an army, but that +he did want about three ambulances and the privilege of selecting his +own men to go with him. + +Arrangements were then made to forward to Fort Lyon blankets, beads, +Indian trinkets, flour, sugar, coffee and such other articles of +usefulness as is generally found in settlement stores or commissaries. +When Colonel Boone told President Lincoln that he did not care for an +army of soldiers for escort, the President seemed astonished, and asked +him how he dared go down the Arkansas River without a good escort. Boone +told him that it was his idea that he would be safer with three men, the +ones he selected to go with him, viz.: Tom Boggs, Colonel Saint Vraine, +Major Filmore and Colonel Bent than he would be with a thousand soldiers. + +The first thing Boone did was to send out runners to have the Indians +come in to Big Timbers, on the Arkansas River, where Fort Lyon is now +located. There Colonel Boone began his negotiations with the Indians +that opened up the Santa Fe Trail to such an extent that traveling was +less dangerous and expensive. + +In the second place, Colonel Boone and his party proceeded to Fort Lyon +and at once began negotiations with the Indians as per his contract with +the Indian Commissioners and President Abraham Lincoln. + +When they arrived at the place appointed where the agency was to be +established, there were camped about thirty thousand Indians with their +Indian provisions, buffalo meat, venison, antelope, bear and other wild +meats, and John Smith and Dick Curtis, who were the great Indian +interpreters for all the tribes. The Comanches, Kiowas, Cheyennes, +Sioux, Arapahoes, Acaddas, and other tribes, with Colonel Boone, arrived +at a complete understanding, and for about two years the Indians were +kindly disposed toward the Whites, or as long as Colonel Boone's +administration as Indian Agent existed. Any one then could cross the +plains without fear of molestation from the Indians. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Colonel Boone Acquires Squire Wright's Enmity. + +In 1861, however, Judge Wright of Indiana, a member of Congress during +Boone's administration as Indian Agent, brought his dissipated son to +Colonel Boone's. Colonel Boone told the Congressman to leave him with +him and he could clerk in the Government store and issue the Indian +annuities. + +This boy soon became a very efficient clerk, quit his drinking, and +under Colonel Boone's persuasion, developed into an honorable and +upright citizen of the United States. + +When congress adjourned, Congressman Wright came again to the Indian +Agency at Fort Lyons where he had left his son with Colonel Boone. +Finding this son so changed, so assiduous to business, so positive in +manner, so thoroughly free, as it seemed from the follies of his younger +days--follies that had warped all his best natures--due, as Judge Wright +was compelled to confess, to the timely efforts of Colonel Boone, there +sprang into the breast of Judge Wright an unquenchable flame of +jealousy. What right had Colonel Boone to hold such an influence over +this boy, the pampered and humored dissipate of this Congressman from +Indiana, when his own commands, and his mother's prayers had held no +such influence? + +It was with sadness that Judge Wright remembered the weak lad he had +left on Colonel Boone's hands, a victim of a father's lack of training, +and found here, instead, the same lad, but with much of the weakness +erased, a man now, with an ambition to do and to be. + +At sight of this miracle wrought by the cleverness of Colonel Boone, +Judge Wright rebelled. There entered his heart, a subtle fiend, a +poisoned arrow, inspired by the rescuer of his son, good, brave, Colonel +Boone. Had not this stranger entered the heart of his boy and opened up +the deep wells of his intellect, buoyed up a hope within his heart that +goodness was greatness, and opened his eyes to the pitfalls into which +he would eventually fall, if he kept on the way he was going? In fact, +Colonel Boone had sounded the message of salvation, and Wright, Jr. had +accepted its graces, and before his father stood a righteous +transformation, to the honor and glory of Colonel A. G. Boone, the tried +and true friend of the Indian. + +Again Judge Wright feels the sting of the serpent. He implored his son +to return to his parental roof, but this the boy declined to do, so +Judge Wright went at once to Colonel Boone and with many unjust and +unscrupulous epithets accused him of having alienated the affections of +his son. Colonel Boone had but to hear him out and bare his shoulders +for such other blows which Judge Wright sought to pelter him, and we +will hear with what blow he was driven from his post as Indian Agent. + + * * * * * + +At the next session of congress, Congressman Wright sought to deal his +death blow to Colonel Boone, and to thus avenge the disloyalty of his +son to his father, at no matter what cost to his own honor and +integrity. This blow he dealt the rescuer of his son, from shame and +disgrace, and who but for Colonel Boone might never have succeeded in +being sober long enough to sell a pound of bacon. In Congress Judge +Wright accused Colonel Boone of disloyalty toward the Government, +declared that he was a secessionest, and that he was robbing the +Indians, etc., and so succeeded in having him removed. To this act might +fitly be applied the old adage: "Save a man from drowning and he will +arise to cut off your head." + +After Colonel Boone was relieved by the new agent, Mr. Macauley, Majors +Waddell and Russell gave Colonel Boone a large ranch on the Arkansas +River, about fifteen miles East of Pueblo, Colorado, afterwards known as +Boonville. Waddell and Russell were the great government freight +contractors across the plains. This ranch consisted of 1,400 acres of +good land, fenced and cross fenced, having several fine buildings +thereon, and otherwise well improved. + +In the fall of 1863, about fifty influential Indians of the various +tribes, visited at the home of Colonel Boone and begged him to return +and be their agent, stating that an uprising was imminent. Colonel Boone +told the Chief that the President of the United States had ejected him +and that the President would not let him do the thing they asked him. +Then the Indians offered to sell their ponies to raise the money for him +to go to Washington to intercede with the "Great Father," to tell him of +the "doin's" of their new agent, and to get reinstated himself. When +Boone told them that it was impossible, and for them to go back and +trust to the agent to do the right thing, they were greatly +disappointed. + +Soon after Colonel Boone had installed himself in his new home on the +Arkansas River, he became the innocent victim of another man's wrath. A +certain Mr. Haynes was keeping the Stage Station and was not giving +satisfaction to the company, inasmuch as the mules seemed to be lacking +the care and attention the company thought due them. The corn sent by +the company (government) to feed the mules did not find its way to the +mule troughs. So the Stage Company began to negotiate with Colonel Boone +to take the station, and he took it. + +This arrangement angered Mr. Haynes, and he reported to a Union Soldier +that Colonel Boone was a rebel of the deepest dye, and further said that +he had a company of Texas Rangers hidden, and intended to "clean out the +country." The Lieutenant to whom this deliberate falsehood was told, +sent fifteen soldiers to the home of A.G. Boone to confiscate his +property and to burn him out if they found indications that the +report was true. + +Mr. Boone's residence was seven miles from Haynes' and the soldiers +reached Boone's place about 1:30 o'clock P.M. and their horses looked, +to a casual observer, like they had been ridden fifty miles. They were +all covered with dust which the crafty soldiers had thrown upon them and +were flecked with sweat. One soldier went forward and asked politely to +be given something to eat. + +Colonel Boone who was a whole-hearted, "hail fellow well met" sort of a +man, invited them to come in and to put their horses in the barn and to +give them one really good feed, remarking at the same time that they had +better remove their saddles and allow the horses to cool off. + +One soldier, without a first thought, began to throw his saddle off, but +was quickly prevented by a quicker witted soldier, but the action was +not quick enough. Colonel Boone had observed without appearing to do so, +the normal condition of the back of the horse, and something had flown +to his mind, that "all was not right on the Wabash," and he concluded to +keep cool. Something told him that they were agents of Mr. Haynes, and +were on mischief bent. + +After caring well for the horses, the soldiers were invited to the house +where they went to the back porch and refreshed themselves with clean +cistern water and fresh towels. While they were getting "slicked up" as +some of the soldiers jokingly called their face wash, Colonel Boone +called the old negro woman to bring a pitcher of whiskey, glasses, +sugar, nutmeg, and eggs, and make them a rich toddy. When this was done, +Colonel Boone with a lavish hand distributed it generously among his +guests, after which they were escorted through the old-fashioned long +hall to the front porch where they rested and awaited the good dinner +already in progress for them. + +Mrs. Boone was sick in bed, and one or two of the soldiers seeing some +one in bed, and more to find out who was there than anything else, +sauntered into the room and up to the bed. As soon as he saw he had made +a mistake, he quickly apologized and retreated to the front porch, +where, to cover his embarrassment, he asked how far it was to Haynes'. +Boone told him it was seven miles. + +Fearing the soldiers would become restless by their prolonged wait for +dinner, Colonel Boone went into the house and told his two daughters, +Maggie and Mollie, to help the old negro lady get dinner, and to stay in +the dining room during the dinner hour and wait on the soldiers, and be +as pleasant as possible with them. He told the girls that he was afraid +the soldiers were messengers of mischief, sent there at the suggestion +of Mr. Haynes, but that he had not decided just what they intended to +do. It was the idea of Colonel Boone to make the whiskey draw the object +of this visit to him, from his guests, and some of the more talkative +ones had already begun to divulge their business. The Colonel decided to +leave them alone so they could consult with themselves, so busied +himself about the house making his visitors comfortable wherever he +could. He stopped in the living room and listened to the conversation +going on between the soldiers out on the porch, which conversation +sometimes developed into an argument about Mr. Haynes and the +Lieutenant, the full import of which he could not glean. Then he +returned to the porch, in a round-about way, brought up the subject of +distance, from his place to Haynes. He then said: "Mr. Haynes had an +ill-feeling toward me, and I have been told that he is circulating a +report that I am a rebel, and that he intends to do me bodily harm." One +soldier was in good condition then to talk--the toddy had done its work +well--and he said: "I gad, Colonel, you ah jes' about right----;" but he +could get no further. One soldier had closed his mouth, with the remark +to Colonel Boone, that some soldiers never knew what they were talking +about, when they had enjoyed a good glass of whiskey. The Colonel +laughed as though the subject was of no importance to him and strolled +out in the yard. Just then Mollie Boone appeared at the dining room door +with a cheery smile, beguiling as the flower in her hair was fragrant, +and with a "welcome, gentlemen, to the Boone home," in her comely face, +bade them all go in to dinner. At the dinner table wit and mirth flowed +as freely as did the water down the throats of those hungry boys +in blue. + +When these boys had partaken of this bounty to their full satisfaction, +they thanked the pretty waitresses for the excellent dinner. The +daughters followed them from the dining room begging them to never pass +this way without coming in to see them, and promising to have a feast +prepared for them. They departed, the girls returning to the dining room +to peep behind curtains to watch the manly soldiers disappear around the +house, to the stables where their horses were still munching the hay, +caring nothing at all about returning to the station at Haynes'. + +The next trip I made to Bent's Fort was made without a conductor on the +stage. One of the owners of the Stage Company, Mr. J.T. Barnum, said to +me: "Billy, you go through to Denver with the express and mail, and then +act as conductor back again to the Fort." + +On my return trip, I came in contact with a company of soldiers camped +at Pueblo, Colorado. Several of the soldiers were at the Hotel at +Pueblo, and during our talk together, I asked one of the soldiers if he +knew a Sergeant by the name of Joe Graham. "Oh, yes," one man replied, +"he is down there in camp now." This soldier volunteered to bring him +to see me. + +Mr. Graham's father was a Methodist preacher in Monterey, New York, when +Joe and I were small boys, and we greeted each other with warmth and +affection, and had a jolly time talking over the "old times" when we +were bare-footed school lads. Finally Joe asked me where I "was holding +forth and what I was doing?" I told him that I had been living with +Colonel Boone, driving the stage coach from there to Bent's Old Fort, +but this trip I was on my way from Denver acting as conductor of the +mail. Mr. Graham asked me how long I had been with Colonel Boone. I told +him I had been with him up to that time, about six months. "I +understand," said Mr. Graham, "that Mr. Boone is a rebel." I told him +that he was most emphatically mistaken, that Colonel Boone was one of +the strongest Union men I had ever known, and that he was as strong a +Unionist as ever lived. Then it was that I found out what mischief +Haynes had sent the soldiers to the home of Colonel Boone, to do. + +Joe Graham told me that he was the Orderly Sergeant of the company that +had camped at Mr. Haynes, and Mr. Haynes had told the Lieutenant that +Colonel Boone was a rebel, and had a company of Texas Rangers camped +close to his premises for the purpose of making a raid on the Union +soldiers. Joe Graham stated that the Lieutenant had ordered him to take +some soldiers and go to the home of Colonel Boone, and if he found +things as Haynes had represented, to confiscate all his property, and to +burn all his buildings, but that the Lieutenant had cautioned them to be +careful and to ascertain if the story Haynes had told was true before +they began depredations. + +When Old Joe had finished his recital, my "dander was up." "Joe," said +I, "will you give me an affidavit of these facts, with the statement of +Mr. Haynes to the Lieutenant?" He told me that he would be pleased to do +so. We went to the Stage Company's office where Dan Hayden, a Notary +Public in and for Pueblo, Colorado, drew up the statement and Sergeant +Graham verified it. + +After thanking Mr. Graham for his kindness in this matter, I proceeded +to Bent's Fort, with what I considered good evidence of Mr. Haynes' +guilt. When I arrived at Bent's Fort, I had time to go from there to +Fort Lyons to meet the stage coming from the States, and I took this +affidavit with me to Major Anthony, the Commanding Officer of Fort +Lyons. Mr. Anthony told me that he had heard of some such talk as this, +coming from Mr. Haynes. He immediately sent two soldiers to Mr. Haynes' +and had him put under arrest and brought to the Fort. Mr. Haynes was +taken to Denver, Colorado, given a trial, convicted, and sentenced to +the penitentiary. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Macauley and Lambert Spar; Macauley is Placed in Guard House and the +Indian Agency Reverts to Major Anthony. + +A few weeks prior to the event last reported, the Indians reported to +Colonel Boone that their agent, Mr. Macauley, was doing them an +injustice. They declared to Colonel Boone that they had as much right to +take something to eat from their wagons and trains as Mr. Macauley had +to steal the goods sent there for them, and as long as they were being +dealt with fairly they would deal fairly in return. It was to that end +that Colonel Boone had perfected the treaty with them, and they were not +the aggressors. Satanta, the great chief of the Kiowas, represented the +Indians in this instance. + +When this fact became known Mr. Macauley was placed in the guard house +at Fort Lyons for dishonesty with the Indians. + +When Mr. Macauley found that the Indians were becoming hostile because +of his dishonesty, he went to the Stage Company's office at Fort Lyons +and proposed to Mr. Lambert to put up a large stone building on the +Stage Company's ground, for the purpose of storing goods. Mr. Lambert +began to sniff the air at once, he thought he had found a mouse, and he +said: "Mr. Macauley, I haven't the money to erect a building of that +kind now." Mr. Macauley told him that he would not have to furnish a +cent of money, that he, himself, would erect the building, but he wanted +it put up under Lambert's name. He told Lambert that he could get the +Government teamsters to haul the rock and put up the building, and it +wouldn't cost him anything to amount to anything, either. Mr. Lambert +told Mr. Macauley that he could not see the advisability of such a +building. "But," said Macauley, "there's so much condemned goods, such +as flour, meat and other groceries--the flour is wormy--and we can buy +them for nearly nothing, and could sell them for a big profit." He told +Lambert they could get rich enough to go East in a little while, and +live like Princes, such as they were, if shortness of means did not tie +them to the Western Plains. Soon their coffers would be filled to +overflowing, if they but planted the seeds of his cunning mind, they +would fructify with a harvest of plenty, and they would reap a rich +reward; for the goods that came in for the Indians were rapidly +accumulating, and at that time, there was already a heavy excess. + +Finally after they had reached the front room of the Lambert home, and +the conversation had taken on a still more confidential turn, Mr. +Lambert wheeled on his guest, and in tones not meant to inspire the +greatest confidence, almost shouted to Macauley, these words: "Do you +mean to come here and make a proposition for me to build you a hiding +place to put your stolen Indian goods in, over my name and signature? +Now, sir, your proposition would place Bob Lambert in the guard house, +while you, the man who steals these goods--you have as much as said that +they were sent here for the Indians--you would go free." Bob Lambert was +a mad animal when he was mad, and on he went, thundering like a bull who +had suddenly beheld a red umbrella: "Macauley, you dog! the goods you +are withholding from these Indians are causing trouble along the whole +frontier, and it will amount to a bloody battle with these ignorant +people; but, I say to you, these Indians are not ignorant of the fact +that it is you who are stealing their stuff. Nevertheless, the whole +white tribe will suffer through your dishonesty. These Indians have a +right to protect their rights, but in so doing, they may do depredations +in the wrong place." Mr. Macauley tried several times to pacify Mr. +Lambert; to tell him that he had misinterpreted his proposition. He +wanted to explain himself further and more fully, but Mr. Lambert would +have none of it, and told him to get himself out of his house, away from +his premises, and to remain away. + +While Mr. Macauley was hesitating, Mr. Lambert drew his pistol and with +one word, that sounded like a roar from a mighty lion, said, "Go!" Mr. +Macauley turned to leave, and Lambert yelled after him: "Run, you thief, +get up and hurry, or I will fill your legs full of lead;" and +Macauley did run. + +At this time Major Anthony was the Commanding Officer of Fort Lyons. Mr. +Macauley ran to the Major's office, reaching there greatly excited and +in an almost exhausted condition, he demanded Major Anthony to put the +chains on Mr. Lambert, and to chain him to the floor. Major Anthony +asked him what the matter was. Mr. Macauley began what sounded like a +very plausible story of his encounter with Mr. Lambert. + +When he stopped to catch his breath, he again ordered Major Anthony to +send at once for Lambert, and place him in the guard house for +threatening his life. + +Major Anthony rang the bell; the sentinel came in. "Mr. Sentinel," +ordered Major Anthony, "go at once to Mr. Lambert's and tell him I want +to see him, immediately." When the sentinel told Mr. Lambert his +mission, he prepared at once to go to the Major. While the sentinel was +gone for Mr. Lambert, Mr. Macauley attempted to leave the office of +Major Anthony before the return of the sentinel and Lambert, but Major +Anthony refused to permit his exit, though he had twice attempted to +leave before the arrival of Mr. Lambert. Mr. Macauley asked the Major +why he could not accept his given word, as correct. But impartial Major +Anthony assured him that to put a man in the guard house without a +hearing, would be unfair. He said he would give Mr. Lambert a trial. Mr. +Macauley grew furious, and told the Major that if he wanted to take +Lambert's word for this occurrence, instead of his, that he would go, +and he arose to leave the room, but Major Anthony restrained him. Major +Anthony said: "Now, Mr. Macauley, you sit down and cool off, and remain +seated, until the completion of this trial between yourself and Mr. +Lambert." At this juncture, Mr. Lambert and the sentinel appeared in the +doorway. Mr. Lambert advanced, with a salute, said: "At your service, +Major Anthony, what can I do for you?" Said Major Anthony: "You can tell +the cause of this disturbance between yourself and Mr. Macauley. Mr. +Macauley has already made his statement, and I want to hear what you +have to say." "Major," said Mr. Lambert, "will you not let Mr. Macauley +state the facts to you again, in my presence, regarding this affair?" +Mr. Lambert then drew his pistol out of his scabbard, laid it on the +table across from Mr. Macauley, and politely requested Major Anthony to +permit Macauley to tell him the exact truth of the matter in +controversy, beginning from the time he had entered his premises, with +his vile proposition, until the time of his hasty departure, from +his house. + +Mr. Lambert turned to Macauley with a little quick, nervous jesture, +saying: "Macauley, you tell Major Anthony the truth, and if you mince +words, and do not tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the +truth, I will kill you." + +Mr. Macauley called on Major Anthony for protection, but the Major only +replied, that he saw no need for protection, that all he had to do was +to tell the truth in the matter, and that he would vouch for Mr. +Lambert's peaceableness. "Now," said Major Anthony, "you may proceed +with your story. The truth is your best trick, and I must get it off my +hands, be quick about it." + +Mr. Macauley began the narrative with many a jerk and start, Major +Anthony was judge and jury, Mr. Lambert was a quiet spectator, but his +wonderful eyes kept the witness on the right track, until he had almost +completed his story and attempted to evade part of the conversation. +Lambert turned his commanding eyes upon the culprit, demanding that not +one iota of that proposition be left out of his recital. Brought to bay, +Macauley had nothing to do, but confess his crime and the proposition +made Mr. Lambert, but his nerve had broken loose and he was a whining, +puny puppy. + +"Now, Mr. Lambert," said Major Anthony, "I am much obliged to you and +you can go to your quarters." Major Anthony again rang for the sentinel +and told him to bring the sergeant of the guard house to him. + +When the sergeant came. Major Anthony turned to Macauley and told him +that he was dismissed from the post as agent of the Indian Supplies, and +he, himself, would have to be the commissioner until the government +appointed some one to supercede him. When the Major turned Macauley over +to the Sergeant, he told him to take the "thief" to the guard house and +to see to it that he did not escape. + +A few days after this episode, Major Anthony notified the Indians to +come and receive their annuities, as far as possible, from the remains. +Then he gave the Indians to understand that it was the intention of the +government, that they be fairly dealt with, and follow the terms of the +treaty made by Colonel A.G. Boone. + +That night the Indians had a big celebration, dancing, singing, yelling +and horse-racing, and signified that they now had a better feeling +toward the white race--that of brother--now that Major Anthony had +settled their grievances by removing Mr. Macauley from the commission. + +Major Anthony reported Mr. Macauley's conduct to headquarters at +Leavenworth, and the Leavenworth authorities came after him, but through +the white-washing of some one, this reprobate went scot free. + +After the Chivington Massacre on Sand Creek, the War Department was +greatly disturbed over the action of the Indians. Colonel Ford, who was +stationed at Fort Larned, was ordered to patrol the country on the +western boundary of Kansas and eastern Colorado, about half way between +the Arkansas River and the North Platte. He started out with 500 fully +equipped soldiers and proceeded about 350 miles to the northwest, and +without finding signs of Indians, he went into camp. + +In the month of October, in the year of 1863, William Poole of +Independence, Missouri, pack master of a mule train, discovered a few +smokes circling their camp, and told Colonel Ford of his find. Mr. Ford +made light of it, but the First Lieutenant of one of the companies said +that he was going to take every precaution possible, to protect his +valuable horse, and that he would not let it go out to range with +the mules. + +Mr. Poole tethered all his mules, that is, tied their forefeet about 18 +inches apart, so they could walk around and graze, but not run, and +placed double guard over the animals. + +At two o'clock in the morning, five Indians with Buffalo robes swinging +in the air, gave the war whoop and stampeded the soldiers of Colonel +Ford, and took every horse, but that belonging to the fastidious +Lieutenant. Every soldier nursed his "sore head" and had no consolation, +but to tell how slick those "red devils" relieved them of their horses. + +When the horses were gone, the soldiers had no further use of their +saddles and blankets. Colonel Ford ordered them burned so the Indians +could not profit by them. However, this was an error on the part of the +Colonel, as will be seen. All the horses and saddles would have been +returned in due time. Three weeks after Ford's experience in the Indian +country, an old Indian and his squaw came riding into Fort Larned on two +of the horses, which they traded off for nuts, candy, sugar and more +candy, and were highly pleased over their exchange. They had no use for +the large horses because they could not stand the weather as well as +their Indian ponies. They grinningly told the storekeeper they would +return in "two moons" with more horses. + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The Fort Riley Soldiers Go to Fort Larned to Horse Race With Cheyennes, +Comanches and Kiowas. + +The Indians are great people for sport and amusement and it would be +difficult to imagine a more inveterate gambler. Their greatest ambition +is to excel in strength and endurance. + +Several times as our coaches meandered across the plains, we came upon +the lodges of thousands of Indians, where the male population were +trying their skill at horse-racing. Even the small boys, many times as +many as fifteen or twenty, would be horse-racing and the chiefs would be +betting upon their favorites. + +For their race tracks, they dug ditches about four feet apart and threw +up the sod and dirt between the ditches. The whole tribe then packed the +ground in the tracks hard and smooth by riding their horses up and down +those tracks to pack the dirt still more firmly. These tracks were +generally one and one-eighth miles long. The Indians would then select a +horse which they regarded as especially swift and banter the soldiers +for a horse race, which the soldiers were quick to accept, if they were +lucky enough to get a furlough. These Fort Riley soldiers always brought +their best horses to Fort Larned to race against the Indians' +race ponies. + +Once during the summer of 1863 when there were only a few white people +at Fort Larned, the Indians, about 15,000 strong, commenced preparation +for a horse race between themselves and the Fort Riley soldiers. +Everything was completed and the Indian ponies were in good trim to beat +the soldiers. The Indians had placed their stakes consisting of ponies, +buffalo robes, deer skins, trinkets of all kinds and characters, in the +hands of their squaws. Then the Fort Riley soldiers came and the betting +was exciting in the extreme, the soldiers betting silver dollars against +their ponies, etc. The soldiers were victorious and highly pleased over +the winnings. The Indians handed the bets over manfully and without a +flinch, but one Indian afterward told me that they had certainly +expected to have been treated to at least a smoke or a drink of "fire +water;" but the soldiers rode away laughing and joking and promised the +Indians to return in "two moons," perhaps "three moons," in response to +their invitation. I was at this race and joined in the sport. Everything +was as pleasant as could be. There was no disturbance of any kind and +the soldiers took their "booty" and, as a matter of fact, did not even +invite the Indians to smoke a consolation pipe. + +During the fall of 1863 a small band of Comanches and Kiowas went to +Texas and procured a white faced, white footed, tall, slim black +stallion for racing purposes. In elation they notified the Fort Riley +soldiers to come again. This time, not only did the Fort Riley soldiers +come, but citizens from all over the whole country for a distance of +from 300 to 500 miles came to see the fun. There were from twenty to +thirty thousand Indians there, and the Indians who invited them prepared +to take care of a large crowd in good style, so confident were they that +this time "the pot" would be theirs. They had hunted down, killed and +dressed some fifty or sixty buffalo, and had them cooking whole, in the +ground--barbecuing the meats. This time the putting up of the bets +before the races came off was still more exciting than at the previous +race, for the Indians had from 500 to 1,000 ponies to put up. The white +men matched their money against the ponies of the Indians. The race had +begun. As it proceeded, shouts of "Hooray, hooray," the Indians' black +stallion is ahead, 100 feet in advance of the soldiers' horse, he goes. +The race is won, and the black stallion stands erect and excited, proud +and defiant, and has won the laurel for his man, and seems to know that +the trophy is theirs. All had placed their bets in the hands of the +squaws for the spokesman, Little Ravin, the orator and regular dude of +the Arapahoes, gave the white people to understand that everything would +be safe in the hands of the squaws he had selected to hold stakes. These +squaws proved true to their trust. After the distribution of the +winnings, Little Ravin told the soldiers to stay and eat. Everybody grew +merry. The soldiers went to the government dining room there at Fort +Larned and got all the knives and forks they could rake and scrape +together and took them to the barbecue. When the Indians saw that the +white people had entered into the banquet with such enthusiasm and zest +they went to the settlers' store and bought two or three hundred dollars +worth of candies, canned goods of all kinds, crackers, etc., to make +their variety larger. They also bought 50 boxes of cigars with which to +treat the citizens and soldiers. When everything was in readiness for +the feast, the white men all stood up near the feast with a few of the +greatest chiefs of the several tribes, while the other Indians who were +not acting as waiters, to see that the choicest pieces of buffalo meat +were given their guests, stood in a ring back of the white guests, and +did not attempt to satisfy their hunger until after the whites had +demonstrated that they had feasted to the brim. This was one of the most +amusing incidents of my life on the frontier, and the Fort Riley boys +felt that in this treatment, they had been dealt a blow to their own +generosity, and one of the soldiers acting as spokesman, told the +Indians that they were ashamed of their own lack of hospitality when +they were the winners of the other race. This pleased the Indians +greatly, and they fell an easy victim to the duplicity of the soldiers +and made a contract to sell their black stallion racing horse to them +for the sum of $2,000, which sale was to be completed 60 days later if +the soldiers still wanted the purchase of the horse, at which time they +were to notify the Chief, and he was to bring or send him to Fort Riley. +This was a great sacrifice, but the ignorant Indian was not aware of it. +During the 60 days before the Indian brought the horse in and received +their money one soldier went up to St. Joe and sold this horse, so I +have been told for the sum of $10,000 in cash, but for the truth of this +statement I will not vouch. + +It is a picturesque sight to watch the Indians move camp. Their trains +often covered several hundred acres of land. The Indians usually move in +a large body, or band. Their moving "van" consists of two long slim +poles placed on each side of a pony, made fast by means of straps tanned +by the squaws from buckskin and buffalo hides. About six or seven feet +from the ponies' heels are placed two crossbars about three or four feet +apart, connected by weaving willow brush from one crossbar to the other, +between these shafts, or poles, hitched to the pony. Upon this woven +space or "hold" are placed the household goods, the folded tents or +tepees, and lastly, their children and decrepit Indians. + +It is not unusual to see several thousand of these strange vans moving +together, their trains being sometimes three or four miles in length. +Then their politeness might also be spoken of, for while it is true that +they have a traditional politeness, it is not a matter of history. Their +sledges were never in the public road but at least 10 to 20 rods outside +of the road in the sage brush and cactus, leaving the road free for the +Stage Company's mail coach. + +In all the different books I have ever read, I have never seen one word +of praise for any courtesy the Indians gave us during those frontier +days, but instead I find nothing but abuse. The Indian is the only +natural born American and the only people to inhabit North America +before the discovery by Columbus. This land we so greatly love +rightfully belonged to the Red Man of the forest, and it is my opinion +that they had as much right to protect their own lands as do we in this +century. The novelists howl about the depredations committed by the +Indian, but their ravings are made more to sell their books and to +create animosity than for any good purposes. + +The Eastern people eagerly read everything they found that abused the +Indians, and the Indians in those days had no presses in which to make +known their grievances. The only thing left was to get vengeance +wherever he found a white man. "To me belongeth vengeance and +recompense." Personally I blame the press for loss of life to both the +Indian and the white men, for having schooled the white man erroneously. +Travelers crossing the plains were always on the defensive, and ever +ready to commence war on any Indian who came within the radius of their +firearms. When I was a boy I read in my reader: "Lo, the cowardly +Indian." The picture above this sentence was that of an Indian in war +paint, holding his bow and arrow, ready to shoot a white man in +the back. + +The novelists write many things of how Kit Carson shot the Indians. Kit +Carson was a personal friend of mine, and when I read snatches to him +from books making him a "heap big Indian killer," he always grew furious +and said it was a "damn lie," that he never had killed an Indian, and if +he had, that he could not have made the treaties with them that he had +made, and his scalp would have been the forfeit. At one time Kit Carson +went on an Indian raid with Colonel Willis down into Western Indian +Territory. He volunteered to go with Colonel Willis to protect him and +his soldiers, and at this very time Colonel Henry Inman tells of Kit +Carson being on the plains of the Santa Fe Trail, with a large company +of soldiers under his command, shooting Indians. + +This is a mis-statement of Colonel Inman. Kit Carson never had a company +of soldiers, was not a military man, and at no time raided the Indians. +As will be seen in another chapter of this book, he was simply a scout +and protector for the soldiers. Like Dryden, however, "I have given my +opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without +offense to their memories." Kit Carson said that the Indian, as a +people, are just as brave as any people. Their warriors were not +expected to go out as soldiers with a commanding officer, but each was +to protect himself. That, in their opinion, was the only way to carry +on war. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +Major Carleton Orders Colonel Willis to Go Into Southwestern Indian +Territory and "Clean Out the Indians." Kit Carson Volunteers to Go With +Colonel Willis as Scout and Protector. + +In June, 1865, two or three settlers coming from the border of the +Indian Country along the Texas and Arizona line, into Santa Fe, planned +to hunt and kill all the game on the reservation without consulting the +Indians. This occasioned trouble and one white man was killed. General +Carleton, in command of all the Southwestern country, stationed at Santa +Fe, heard about the killing, and without attempting to understand the +position the Indians held, or in any way to find out the cause of +trouble, sent an order to Colonel Willis, who was stationed at Fort +Union, to take his 300 California Volunteers to this reservation and to +"Clean out the Indians." His order was imperative. It did not say for +him to endeavor to find out the cause of the death of this white man, +but to go at once into their camp and to massacre, confiscate anything +of value, and have no mercy on the Redskins, who had slaughtered a white +man who was "only hunting" on the Indian reservation. + +When Colonel Willis got this order he said to me that he knew absolutely +nothing about the Indian mode of warfare, and that he was fearful of +getting his soldiers all killed, and he wished that Kit Carson would go +with him, but that he would not ask him to do so because he knew that +Carson would disapprove of the orders he had from Colonel Carleton. + +President Polk appointed Kit Carson to a second lieutenancy and his +official duty was to conduct the fifty soldiers under his command +through the country of the Comanches, but for some reason the Senate +refused to confirm the appointment, and he consequently had no +connection with the regular army. + +When Colonel Willis had his soldiers all in trim and was about to leave +Fort Union, Kit Carson, who had been watching him from a nail keg upon +which he was sitting, came up to him and slapped Willis' horse on the +hip, saying: "Willis, I guess I had better go with you; if you go down +there alone, them red devils will never let you return." "Kit," said +Colonel Willis, "That is what I want you to do, and we will wait for +you." But Kit Carson needed no time to prepare, he threw his saddle on +and told Colonel Willis that he was ready without any delay. At about 10 +o'clock in the forenoon the company left Fort Union, carrying one cannon +and plenty of ammunition. At about daybreak on their second day out, +they came upon a village of 100 or more tents camped on about the line +of New Mexico and Arizona. There were Kiowas, Comanches, Cheyennes, +Utes, Arapahoes and some Apaches in this village. Colonel Willis said to +Kit Carson that it was about time to "try their little canon," but Kit +Carson told Col. Willis "No." Kit asked Col. Willis to show him his +orders, which by the way he had not seen before volunteering to come +with Willis. When Carson read the order he was startled. It had never +occurred to him that a man of Col. Carleton's reputation would be so +unjust. Now said Kit Carson to Col. Willis, "Suppose we send out some +runners and bring the chiefs to us and see what occasioned all this +trouble that caused Gen. Carleton to give such orders." Col. Willis said +he had no such orders as that from Carleton, and the only thing he could +do was to "beard the lion in his den" because his orders were strict, +they said to go and kill the Indians wherever he found them and he would +be compelled to obey orders. The consultation between Col. Willis and +Brevet Kit Carson almost amounted to an argument. Kit Carson declared +that his orders should have read "in your discretion, etc.," and that it +was not advisable to take life in this manner, "but since you must obey +orders," Brevet Gen. Kit Carson said, "Fire away, if every mother's son +of you lose your scalp." + +At daybreak Col. Willis' soldiers fired into the Indian camp, where +dwelt something like 1500 Indians, mostly old squaws and papooses with a +few able-bodied warriors. Few escaped with their lives and those who did +escape were entirely destitute for the soldiers set fire to their tents +after loading their wagons to the hilt with whatever they considered +might be of value, buffalo robes, moccasins, blankets and other assets, +together with all the provisions from the camp. There were several tons +of the latter--buffalo meat, antelope, venison, goat, bear and dried +jack rabbit. When Kit Carson found that all this provision was +confiscated he demanded that it be unloaded and left for the consumption +of the few remaining Indians scattered over the plains who were without +food or shelter. + +After this raid they started for the Indian Territory and over into +Texas, hunting for more Indians. Kit Carson kept surveying the landscape +with a view to securing suitable places to fortify against the +formidable foe whom he knew might at any time steal upon them and ambush +them. Col. Willis had been watching him for several days and was totally +unable to make out from his deportment what he was looking for. When Kit +Carson told him that he was hunting for safe camping places Col. Willis +asked him if he thought they might be attacked. Kit Carson told him that +he knew that before many "moons" they would be surrounded by Indians, +and that they must begin their preparations for defense. Col. Willis was +unused to Indian signs, but Kit Carson knew them well. He had already +seen the Indian smokes. An Indian's telegraphic means were by smokes +placed at intervening points. These smokes denote place, number, etc., +known to all Indians and "path-finders." Kit Carson with his field glass +inspecting the country had noticed these smokes and knew that a large +band was being called together. He informed Col. Willis that they must +travel back to a certain place he had selected, a stone ridge with a +spring gushing out of the side of a cliff. This was about 4 o'clock in +the afternoon. They reached the stone ridge about dusk. "Carson," said +Willis, "tell us what to do, I know nothing about fighting these wild +devils." Kit Carson told him to put his soldiers to piling stone and +make a breastwork to hide behind. He told Willis to send some of the +soldiers to the spring and build up a wall several feet all around it +and put some of the soldiers in there for protection and at the same +time have a place to get water. The soldiers had not a minute to lose. +The Indians bore down upon them and sent arrows into their midst, but +did no damage. Kit Carson told a soldier to put a hat on a pole and lift +it up, that he believed some Indians were hidden in a wild plum thicket +close by; if so, they would shoot at the hat. This hat trick was tried +several times. Kit Carson had located the Indians pretty well by this +time and told Col. Willis to set his cannon so it would shoot very low, +to barely miss the ground, and then he thought they would have a chance +to snatch a "piece of sleep" before daylight. When the cannon exploded +the Indians retreated, taking with them their dead and wounded and did +not come back any more that, night. An Indian will risk his life rather +than leave a dead member of his band in the white man's possession. It +is an old superstition that if a warrior loses his scalp he forfeits his +hope of ever reaching the "happy hunting ground." Col. Willis and Kit +Carson camped there until two o'clock in the morning when they went down +off of the stone ridge out onto the open prairie twenty miles distant, +where they again camped. After dark they again started out on the trail. +Indians hardly ever attack at night. Nevertheless, the Indians began to +congregate until they numbered several thousand and chased Col. Willis +and Kit Carson 300 miles. Under the clever management of Kit Carson's +Indian tricks Col. Willis and his soldiers all escaped without a loss of +a man or getting one injured. Kit Carson told me that he was "mighty +thankful that the gol-derned grass was too green to burn." + +My Position in Reference to the Treatment of Indians. + +It has been my endeavor in writing this book to relate incidents as they +actually occurred and of my own personal knowledge and observation. My +experience with the Indians and my observations with their natural +traits and characteristics convinces me that the white man has not, in +most instances, been willing to do him justice and has subjected him to +a great deal of unmerited abuse and persecution. The outbreaks by the +Indians in all instances that came under my observation were brought +about by the ill treatment of the whites. The Indians were always very +reluctant to avenge themselves upon the whites for the wrongs done them. + +The Indians have been driven from their hunting grounds until many times +they were unable to secure food and were upon the verge of starvation. +Naturally, then, they would approach the wagons of the white men, go to +their settlements or follow the stage coaches and emigrant trains in the +hope of securing something to eat. The whites would often become +unnecessarily alarmed and attempt to frighten them away by killing one +or more of their number. As a result of this the Indians would be +aroused and take to the warpath and attempt to avenge the death of their +lost warrior by killing a white man wherever he chanced to find one. + +I have known such instances as this to occur many times and had I not +exercised every care to avoid hostilities and establish peaceful +relations between myself and my passengers and the Indians I would no +doubt have met with a similar experience in some of my trips along the +Santa Fe Trail. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +W. H. Ryus Enters Second Contract With Stage Company, Messenger and +Conductor of the U. S. Mail and Express. + +The spring of 1864 I left the services of the stage company and came to +Kansas City, Kansas, where my parents lived. + +In June of that year I bought a team, mowing machine and wire hay rake +and entered into a contract to furnish hay to the government. I took my +hay-making apparatus out on the prairie, about ten miles from Kansas +City, and cut several hundred tons of hay which I sold to the government +quartermaster at Kansas City. + +During the summer of that year Confederate General Price made his famous +raid through Westport, going South with his army, followed by the +Federal soldiers. + +There were upwards of 3000 of the Federal militia, and while on the road +from Westport to Kansas City they became frightened and stampeded. They +heard that Price's army was coming toward them from Westport. It was an +exciting scene to see men acting like wild men. + +The militia posted at Kansas City, Kansas, consisted of troops from the +counties of Brown, Atchison and Leavenworth and were under a newspaper +man's command, an editor from Hiawatha, Kansas, whose name I do not +recall. The governor of Kansas ordered this major to take his militia +and go to the line and protect Kansas City, Missouri, from Price's +raiders. The soldiers refused to go with their major in command. +However, they agreed to go to Missouri if their major would resign in +favor of Captain James Pope of Schuyler County New York, who was in +command of a militia of Kansas soldiers. This was done and Captain Pope +was made major and took charge of the several different companies +besides his own. + +At about ten o'clock in the forenoon in the latter part of July the +militia then started to go over into Missouri after Gen. Price. I went +along with the militia, and as we were approaching Westport we caught +sight of several thousand stampeding soldiers, going as fast as their +legs would carry them. + +I rode up alongside of Major Pope and said, "There's a stampede, see +them coming! I will make my horse jump the fence and run up to them and +tell them Price's army is coming the other way." Major Pope' replied, +"Go a-flying." He halted his troops and I rode through the fields toward +the stampeding soldiers, yelling to them and their officers that Price's +army was coming toward them from Kansas City. This checked them and gave +them a chance to collect their wits. + +The officers of the stampeded troops then called to the soldiers, "The +rebels are coming this way, right-about-face." By the time the stampeded +troops were brought to a halt they were face to face with Major Pope's +regiment. Major Pope being an old soldier, understanding military +tactics, went to the south end of the stampeded troops, took charge of +them and commanded them to right-about-face and started south for +West-port on a double-quick time. + +After the militia had gotten under way I put my horse under the dead run +and caught up with the Union soldiers who were in pursuit of Price's +army at Indian Creek, twenty miles from Westport. + +As it was now growing late I thought best to return to Kansas City. On +my way back I again came in contact with Major Pope with the militia and +told him that it was impossible for them to catch up with Price's +raiders or the other Union forces, for they were going on the dead run. +I told him that he might just as well go into camp, which he did, +greatly to the relief of his almost exhausted troopers. + +The next day Major Pope was ordered back to Kansas City to guard the +city in case the rebel soldiers should undertake to raid it. + + * * * * * + +Dear reader, please accept my apologies for having left my original +subject and brought you back to the Civil war. Back to the Santa Fe +Trail for me. + +When I got in home at Wyandotte, Kansas, now Kansas City, Kansas, a +messenger from the stage company was awaiting my arrival. He came to get +me to enter into a contract to again enter the services of the stage +company as conductor and messenger of the United States mail and express +from Kansas City across the long route to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I took +the position and started out the next morning. + +My first noted passenger after I became conductor of this stage coach +was the son of old Colonel Leavenworth, for whom Leavenworth was named, +and who built the fort about the year of 1827. + +After leaving Kansas City and getting settled down to traveling, Col. +Leavenworth Jr.'s first words to me were, "Have you been on the plains +among the Indians long?" I replied that I had been driving the mail +among them for three years. His next question was, "Do you know, or have +you ever heard of Satanta, the great chief of the Kiowas?" I told him +that I had seen him several times and had given him many a cup of coffee +with other provision. Col. Leavenworth Jr. seemed greatly pleased with +my answer and told me that he had a great affection for old Satanta and +that he was one of the nobles of his race, and also one of the best men +he had ever known regardless of race. Young Leavenworth delighted in +telling his exploits among the Indians and I was no poor listener, for +it always entertained me to hear some one give praise to my Indian +friends. Mr. Leavenworth told me that a great many of the different +tribes of Indians came to Fort Leavenworth to see his father and that he +had never had any trouble with them, however remote. At that time young +Leavenworth was a ten-year-old boy and a great favorite of Satanta, the +Kiowa chief. Leavenworth Jr. told me that he had gone on several hunting +trips with Satanta and be gone as long as two weeks away from his +father's fort. He told me that at one time when he had been away from +home two years at school in St. Louis that Satanta and his tribe were +there to welcome him home. The old chief wanted him to go on the prairie +with them to hunt the buffalo and be gone several weeks, so Leavenworth +Jr. told him that he would have to talk to his father about it. +Accordingly Satanta went to old Colonel Leavenworth and told him that he +wanted to take young Leavenworth on an extended hunting trip and might +go over into Colorado and other western states. The old colonel was +reluctant to let the child go with his strange friends and told Satanta +that if his tribe should become involved in trouble with the whites the +boy might be killed. Satanta said "no such ting." Santanta told the +father that no matter what war they got into they would protect the boy +and return him home safe and well. When Satanta's whole tribe came in +off the plains at the specified time they all entered into an agreement +to protect the boy at any sacrifice if he was permitted to accompany +them on the hunt. In their language they took the oath to protect the +boy, each one sworn in separately, and it was agreed that Satanta would +send two of his warriors to the nearest army post every week to tell his +father that the boy was all right. The boy always wrote brilliantly of +his travels in the wild western country. His father considered with much +pride reserved all these boyish letters which are masterpieces of +landscape and scenic description. Copies of these letters are still on +file in the war libraries and are set aside as "things of beauty." + +Young Leavenworth in talking to me about his travels with Satanta told +me that they got into the mountains about thirty days after they left +Fort Leavenworth and located in about where Cripple Creek is now +located. He said the Indians found and gathered considerable gold. In +two places in particular the gold in the sands of the creek bed was very +rich. They gathered gold for him and put it in a buckskin sack. What +this gift amounted to in dollars and cents I have forgotten, but it +amounted to several hundred dollars. He was gone three months. That was +the last time he ever saw Satanta. He was sent East after that to a +military school. At the time he was crossing the trail with me he had +only recently become a colonel in the Union army and was ordered to Fort +Union to take charge of some New Mexico troops. + +John Flournoy of Independence, Missouri, was one of the drivers on the +Long Route. When we were at Fort Larned, Colorado, Leavenworth inquired +of John if he knew where Satanta or any of his tribe were. John told him +they were on the Arkansas river not far from old Fort Dodge. + +We stopped at Big Coon Creek to get our supper, that was twenty-two +miles from where the Indians camped. (We only cooked twice a day, supper +was about four o'clock, then we drove long after nightfall). After +starting on our journey about five o'clock, going over the hills down to +the Arkansas river, we came in sight of the Indian camp which was some +ten miles distant. At this camp there were perhaps thirty thousand +Indians. At about nine o'clock we were within three miles of their camp +and could hear distinctly the drums beating and Indians singing. Col. +Leavenworth said, "That is a war dance, now we must find out the cause +of the excitement." There were no roads into the camp and we couldn't +get the mules to venture any further on account of the scent of green +hides always around an Indian camp, so Col. Leavenworth Jr. and I got +off the coach and walked in as close as we consistently could. Soon we +saw an Indian boy and Col. Leavenworth asked him in Indian language what +was going on at the big camp. The boy told him that the Kiowas and the +Pawnees had been at war with each other and that two of the Kiowas had +been killed and one of the Pawnees. They had secured the scalp of the +Pawnee and had fastened it to a pole, one end of which was securely +planted in the ground, and were mourning around it for their own dead. +An Indian thinks he is shamefully disgraced if one of his tribe gets +scalped. They will go right to the very mouth of a cannon to save their +tribe of such disgrace. Col. Leavenworth says, "I tell you, Billie, I +was afraid that some of the whites had been disturbing the Indians, but +I knew if I could but get word to Satanta we would be safe." When the +boy told us how matters really stood our "hair lowered" and Col. +Leavenworth asked the boy to take us to Satanta's tent. + +When we reached Satanta's tent the Indian boy went in and told him that +a white man wanted to see him. The old chief came out--we were about +twenty feet from the tent--he looked at Colonel Leavenworth first, then +at me, whom he recognized. He walked up to within a few feet of Colonel +Leavenworth, eyeing him sharply. Colonel Leavenworth spoke his name in +the Indian language. Satanta looked at him amazedly--he had not seen him +since he had developed into a man and could not realize that this was +the favored idol of his hunting trip through the Rocky mountains of +Colorado so many years ago. After this moment of surprise had subsided +Satanta gave one savage yell and leaped toward Leavenworth Jr. His +blanket fell off and he patted the cheek of the colonel, kissed him, +hugged him, embraced him again and again, then turned and took me by the +hand, grasping it firmly. He gave me a thrilling illustration of his joy +over the return of his old-time boy friend which impressed me with the +sincerity and true instinct of the Indian attachment for his friends. +Satanta called Col. Leavenworth "ma chessel." + +[Illustration: "SATANTA."] + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +Billy Ryus and Col. Leavenworth Invade Camp Where There Are 30,000 +Hostile Indians. + +When Col. Leavenworth introduced Satanta to me he grinningly answered +"Si; all my people know this driver, for we have drank coffee with him +on the plains before this day." This was spoken in the Indian tongue and +interpreted by Col. Leavenworth. + +Satanta immediately ordered some of his young warriors to go out and +herd our mules for the night--he told them to stake them where they +could get plenty of grass and put sufficient guard to protect them. I +told Satanta that we would want to start on our journey by daylight. + +Leaving Col. Leavenworth with Satanta I returned to my two coaches two +and a half miles back, accompanied by about two hundred or more young +Indian lads and lassies. The drivers unhitched the mules from the +Concord coach and put the harness up on the front boot of the coach. One +of the Indian herders asked me if I had some lariats. I told him I did +and he got one and tied it to the end of the coach tongue, then put two +lariats on the tongues of each coach, leaving a string about sixty feet +long--much to the wonderment of the passengers--motioned for me to mount +the seat and take up my whip. When I did this all these young Indians, +both boys and girls, laughingly took hold of the lariats and started to +pull our coach into camp. This occasioned much mirth. This was a great +sight for the tender-foot. My passengers declared it excelled any +fiction they had ever read. The boys and girls pulling and pushing the +coaches went so fast that I had difficulty in keeping the little fellows +from being run over. I applied the brakes several times. + +When we reached the camp the whole tribe began such screeching that many +passengers took the alarm again. Satanta came out, looking very erect +and soldierly, commanded the young men to haul our coach to the front of +his lodge so we could see all that was going on. Satanta's next order +was for the squaws to get supper. He said to the passengers, "We must +eat together, lots of buffalo meat and deer." After kindling their fire +of buffalo chips they soon had supper "a-going." I ordered my drivers to +take bread, coffee and canned goods from our mess box and we dined +heartily and substantially. + +At eleven o'clock I laid down in the front of my coach and snatched a +little sleep. I doubt whether the passengers took any sleep. I know that +Col. Leavenworth and Satanta were talking at three o'clock in the +morning, at which time Satanta called out his cooks and informed us that +we must "eat again." We breakfasted together. Just at daybreak the +Indians gave the whoop and the little fellows were on hand to haul our +coaches outside the camp. They hitched our mules and Satanta and the +chiefs of the other tribes went with us about ten miles and stopped and +lunched again. + +These chiefs begged Leavenworth to come back to their country and take +charge of the tribes, giving him as their belief that if he were in +charge there would be peace. Satanta called his attention to the battle +on the Nine Mile Ridge as well as to the massacre where they had +suffered so unmercifully. + +Satanta told Col. Leavenworth during his ride with us that morning that +for the inconvenience suffered by the public the Indian was totally +blameless. At no time did his people make the first attack on the whites +and take their lives, but that in approaching their caravans and asking +for food they were shot down as they had been on the Nine Mile Ridge. +The American soldiers had burned their wigwams, slaughtered their +decrepit men, women and children and carried away their provision. +Satanta told Col. Leavenworth that he had heard of the newspapers, the +press, and so on. He told him that he knew that they were for the +purpose of prejudicing white people against his race. Satanta said that +the Indians desired peace as much as did the white man. Leavenworth told +the old chief that he regretted the loss of life, but Satanta told him +that his regret was no greater than his regret for both the Indians and +the whites. This ended the conversation between these two friends. After +many adieus they separated, each going his own way. + + * * * * * + +On our journey to Fort Lyon I casually mentioned the name of Major +Anthony (nephew of Governor George T. Anthony, the sixth governor of +Kansas). I told him that Major Anthony was very friendly toward the +Indians. This is the same Major Anthony who took charge of the Indian +agency when Macaulley was discharged so unceremoniously. I told Col. +Leavenworth that Major Anthony had such a rare character that if he had +his way about it there would be no war. + +Colonel Leavenworth Jr. asked me to introduce him to Major Anthony when +we reached Fort Lyon, which I did. Major Anthony asked me if I would +wait a couple of hours so he and Colonel Leavenworth could talk over +Indian matters a while before we proceeded to Bent's Old Fort, forty +miles south of Fort Lyon. + +After we started on our route Colonel Leavenworth remarked about the +rains which had been falling. I told him I was afraid we would +experience some difficulty in crossing the Arkansas river. Sure enough +when we reached there the river was a seething mass of turbulent waters, +but we succeeded in crossing safely at Bent's Old Fort. Then we had +eighty miles to go before we struck the foothills of the Raton +mountains, fording the Picketwaire river at the little town of Trinidad, +Colorado, over the Raton mountains. In going up the mountain we crossed +the creek twenty-six times. + +On this route was a place known to the train men as "The Devil's Gate." +This was a very large rock extending out over the road running close to +the creek with a precipice below. We had to use great care and +precaution in handling our mules around this rock to take the road. We +saw several broken wagons at this point where several freighters had +been doomed to bad luck. + +We ascended the mountains to the foot where were the headwaters of the +Red river, four miles from the Red river station of the stage company, +thence to Fort Union, where I delivered Colonel Leavenworth. That was +the last time I ever saw him. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A "Trifling Incident"--Billy Ryus Runs Risks With Government +Property. + +Six months after my visit to the camp of Satanta a trifling incident +comes to my mind. Crossing Red river which was considerably swollen due +to the heavy thaws--the river at this point was only about nine feet +across and about two and a half feet deep--but it was a treacherous +place because it was so mirey. It stuck many freight wagons--I was in a +quandary just how I would cross it. After climbing down off of the +coach, looking around for an escape (?), a happy idea possessed me. I +was carrying four sacks of patent office books which would weigh about +240 pounds a sack, the sacks were eighteen inches square by four and a +half feet long, so I concluded to use these books to make an impromptu +bridge. I cut the ice open for twenty inches, wide enough to fit the +tracks of the coach for the wheels to run on, then placed four of these +sacks of books in the water and drove my mules across Red River. I was +fully aware that the books were government property, but from past +experience I knew they would never be put to use. + +People all along the route were mad because the stage company charged +$200 for a passage from Kansas City to Santa Fe and knowing that we were +compelled to haul the government mail, heavy or light, in the way or out +of it, and desiring to "put us to it," kept ordering these books sent +them. They never took one of them from the postoffice, hence the +accumulation in the postoffice grew until there was room for little +else. These books were surveys and agricultural reports. Unreadable to +say the least, but heavy in the extreme. The postoffice at Santa Fe was +a little bit of a concern, and the postmaster said there was no room for +the books there. Earlier in the year I had carried one of these sacks to +the postoffice and had attempted to get the postmaster to accept them as +mail. I told him that it was mail and that I had no other place to +deposit it. Nevertheless he said he would not have them left at the +postoffice and told me do anything I wanted to with them, saying at the +time that people all around there had a mania for ordering those books, +but never intended to take them when they ordered them. I took the books +around to the stage station and discovered four wagonloads of the +"government stuff." + +At the time I placed the books in Red river I knew that the postmaster +would not let them be left there and I knew they might serve the +government better in a "bridge" than otherwise. Knowing this I felt that +I had a remedy at law and grounds for defense. + +The four passengers with me "jawed" me quite enough to "extract" the +patience of an ancient Job for having treated government property to a +watery burial in Red river. Two of the passengers were Mexicans and two +other men from New York. However, the two Mexicans soon disgusted the +other two passengers, who took sides with me. The Mexicans said they +would report me to the government, and I had no doubt they would. + +As soon as I got to Santa Fe I went to see General Harney, ex-governor +of New Mexico. I told him what I had done and why I did it. General +Harney told me he was glad I had notified him right away and said he +would explain this transportation of the patent office books to the +fourth assistant postmaster. I gave him a detailed account of my +conversation regarding the disposition of the books to the postmaster +the trip before, which conversation he put in the form of an affidavit +and took it to the postmaster to verify. The postmaster refused to sign +the document, saying that he was no such a fool as that. General Harney +reported to the government who ordered the postmaster to rent a room in +which to store the government books now in possession of the stage +company. I knew that the postmaster was going to get these orders, so I +told Mr. Parker, proprietor of the hotel (called in those days the +"Fonda") that he could rent the room to the postmaster for $15 per +month. He would draw $45 per quarter and net the stage company $30. We +conductors made the drivers haul all the books over to the postoffice, +and when we had put all inside that we could get in there, obstructing +the light from the one solitary window, we put several thousand up on +top of the postoffice. Everybody was looking at us and everybody else +was laughing. + + * * * * * + +In a squealy little old voice the postmaster came out and told us to +take them to "Parker's Fonda," that he had rented the room for the +storage of such trash. Thus it came that the books were placed back in +the same room in which they were formerly stored, but they were now +paying the stage company rent for "their berths" and continued three +years to net the stage company $10 per month. + +This transaction caused the government to quit printing these books. The +governor sent directions to the Santa Fe Stage Company at Kansas City +that should more such books accumulate they might be delivered by +freight. There were no more sent. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Tom Barnum Muses Over the Position the Government Will Take in Regard +to the Bed of Red River Being Suitable Resting Place for the +U.S. Mail. + +After having deposited the patent office reports in their watery grave +in Red river I met and had an interview with Tom Barnum, one of the +owners of the stage line. "Billie, you devil," were his first words to +me, "been puttin' the mail in the river, be ye?" I answered, "Yes, sir." +"Well," Barnum said, "didn't you take some pretty risky chances when you +did this--are you sure you won't get us into some serious trouble?" I +told him that I believed that I had just saved his company not less than +$5000 by "dumping" that bulky trash. I told him that the company had +made complaints to the government about sending the reports into New +Mexico and that the Postmaster General had not given us the +consideration we deserved and the postmasters had also refused their +acceptance after we had "carted" them to destination. It's my firm +belief that in using the books in the manner I did they served the +United States better than they could have done any other way. I told Mr. +Barnum how ex-Governor Harney had befriended me in the matter and that I +felt safe to say that no bad effects could grow out of my conduct. + +This pacified Tom Barnum and I told him that I wanted his company to +give me credit for half the money I had saved them on this book hauling +business on the day of settlement. I also told him that I had promised +to "deadhead" ex-Governor Harney and family (consisting at that time of +wife and one child, a daughter fifteen years old) to the states and when +they arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, he was to see that they got a +pass over the road to New York City. Barnum wheezed out a little laugh +and an exclamation that sounded like "h--l," but finished good naturedly +by telling me that he would do it. As our conversation lengthened he +said, "Billy, been thinking over this dead-headin' business of +yourn,--Billy," again said Mr. Barnum, "you're an accommodatin' devil. I +believe if the whole Santa Fe population would jump you for a 'free +ride' to Kansas City you would give it to 'em and our company would put +on extra stages for their benefit. It don't seem to make any difference +to you what the company's orders are, you do things to suit your own +little self, 'y bob!" Barnum went on musing, but I kept feeling of my +ground and found I was still on "terra firma." "Well," says I, "don't +forget all those little points on the day of settlement, especially what +I have saved on the book business in the way of 'cartage' and +'storage.'" I told him that I might want to feather a nest some time for +a nice little mate and cunning little birdies. This conversation took +place at Bent's Old Fort. My next conversation with him took place in +Santa Fe, New Mexico. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Tom Barnum Takes Smallpox. I Visit My Home. Dr. Hopkins Gets Broken +Window, a Quarter, and the Ill Will of the Stage Company. + +During the year of 1863 I took a notion to "lay off" and go home on a +visit. Tom Barnum, one of the owners of the road, was at Santa Fe at +that time and was to be one of the passengers into Kansas City. I met +Mr. Barnum in the "fonda" and he told me he was sick, remarking that he +wished he would take the smallpox. I told him he would not want to have +it more than once. "Well," said he, "if I took the smallpox it would +either cure me of this blamed consumption or kill me." I told him that +he wasn't ready to "kick the bucket" yet, for the boys needed him in +Kansas City. + +Mr. Barnum had been exposed to the smallpox but was not aware of it, so +we started to Kansas City. When we arrived in Kansas City we went to the +old Gillis hotel, the headquarters for all the stage company's +employees. When the doctor came he told him that he had the smallpox, +but that he need call no one's attention to it until he had given him +leave. The doctor fixed up a bed in the attic, tore a glass out of the +window and took every precaution to keep the pestilence from spreading +through the house. The doctor took Tom Barnum up in the attic, placed +plenty of water within his reach and put a negro to mind him. Then the +doctor went to the office and told Dr. Hopkins that Barnum had the +smallpox and was up in the attic. He said to the hotelkeeper that there +was no need of announcing it to the boarders, but Dr. Hopkins said he +would do it anyway, and for him to get Barnum out of the house and to a +hospital, that he would ruin him. That night Dr. Hopkins announced to +his guests that Barnum was there with the smallpox. Sixteen of his +boarders left "post haste," but the house filled up again before night +in spite of the smallpox sign. At that time, in the year of 1863, the +Gillis house run by Dr. Hopkins was the only large house in Kansas City +in use. There was a new building, the "Bravadere," up on the hill from +the levee, but it had not been furnished. + +When Barnum got over the smallpox he took the bed out the window and +burned it, together with everything else in the room, and thoroughly +fumigated the premises. + +With a face all scarred with smallpox he then went down to the office +and told the proprietor of the hotel what he had done with the +furniture, bedding, etc., that he had used while he was sick. He told +Dr. Hopkins that he wanted to pay him for the damage and asked him what +price he should pay for the furniture he had burned. Hopkins told him he +supposed $50 would cover it. Then he asked him how much he had damaged +his house. Hopkins again replied that he injured him about $50. "All +right," said Tom Barnum, "I'll pay it, but let me ask you how many +boarders left you when they heard I was sick in the attic with the +smallpox." Mr. Hopkins told him they all left. "So I understand, Mr. +Hopkins, but will you tell me how many came in before night--how many +empty beds did you have while I lay ill with smallpox?" Hopkins was +hedging, but he had to answer that all his beds were full; that he had +no room for more than came, but he said he felt sure that his house had +been injured at least $50. Finally Tom Barnum happened to think of the +window pane he had left out of his inventory of materials destroyed and +mentioned it. Greatly to Barnum's disgust Hopkins scratched his head and +replied that he guessed that a quarter would cover the damage to +the window. + +When this conversation was over and Barnum had paid for all the +"smallpox damage" he said, "Now, Hopkins, figure up what our company +owes you; I want to pay it, too." "No," said Hopkins, "I haven't time +now, I always make out my bills the first of the month." "Well," said +Barnum, "you figure our bill up right now and do not include dinner for +any of us, for we are leaving you right now, and will never bring a +customer to this house again and never come here to get a passenger nor +any one's baggage. In fact, our teams will never come down the hill +again to this house, we're quittin'." + +The smallpox had left old Barnum pretty weak physically, but had +evidently not weakened his will. He left Hopkins in the office figuring +up his account and he jumped a-straddle of a bare-backed mule and went +up on the hill and rented the new 40-room house, "The Bravadere," and +sub-rented enough rooms to pay the expenses of his company. He also got +a porter, bus and team and sent to the landing to meet every steam boat +to carry passengers and their baggage free of charge to his "new hotel" +on the hill. This new hotel got to be all the rage, and the old levee +hotel in the bottoms was doomed to be a "thing of the past." The old +Gillis hotel on the levee was bought in by the Peet Soap Factory. The +old "Bravadere" still stands in Kansas City, but boasts a new +brick front. + +[Illustration: "UNCLE" DICK WOOTEN.] + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Uncle Dick Wooten Erects a Toll Gate. Major Pendelton Carries Cash in +Coach to Pay Troops. + +In August of 1864 the scenery along the route from Kansas City, +Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, was grand. Kansas City at that time +was a very small place. Its inhabitants may have numbered two or three +thousand. Santa Fe with its narrow streets looking like alleys was built +mostly of doby (mud bricks). Crowded up against the mountains, at the +end of a little valley, through which runs a tributary to the Rio +Grande, boasted of healthful climate. Santa Fe had a public square in +the center, a house known as "the Palace." There were numerous gambling +houses there and these gambling houses were considered as respectable as +the merchants' store houses. The business of the place was considerable, +many of the merchants being wholesale dealers for the vast territory +tributary. In the money market there were no pennies,--nothing less than +five-cent pieces. The old palace about which I have called your +attention is an old land mark of Santa Fe and is to Santa Fe what "The +Alamo" is to Texas. The postoffice at that time was a small building, +14x24, with a partition in the center. It was one-story with a dirt +roof, as were all the houses of that old Spanish city at the time my +narrative opens. + +On my first trip from Santa Fe to Kansas City in 1864 there was little +to note except that when I got up on the Raton mountain about thirty +miles from Trinidad, Colorado, Uncle Dick Wooten had a large force of +Mexicans building a toll road. Originally the road was almost +impassable. Saddle horses and pack mules could get over the narrow +rock-ribbed pass and around what was known as the "devil's gate," but it +was next to impossible for the stages and other caravans to get to +Trinidad. This was the natural highway to southwestern Colorado and +northwestern New Mexico. Uncle Dick was a man of considerable +forethought and it occurred to him that he might make some money if he +bought a few pounds of dynamite and blasted the rock at "the Devil's +Gate" and hewed out a good road, which, barring grades, should be as +good as the average turnpike. He expected of course to keep the roads in +good repair at his own expense and succeeded in getting the legislatures +of Colorado and New Mexico to grant him a charter covering the rights +and privileges of his projected toll road or turnpike. + +In the spring of 1865 Uncle Tom built him a tolerably pretentious home +on the top of the mountains--the house on one side of the road and the +stables on the other and swung a gate across the road from the house to +the stables. I believe some historians say that Uncle Dick Wooten +continued to live at this place until the year of 1895, the date of his +death. But as to the veracity of this assertion I will not vouch. + +The building of this road with great hillsides to cut out, ledges of +rock to blast out and to build dozens of bridges across the mountain +streams, difficult gradings, etc., was no easy task. Neither was it an +easy task to collect toll from all the travelers. People from the states +understood that they must pay toll for the privilege of traveling over a +road that had been built at the cost of time and money, but there were +other people who thought they should be as free to travel over Uncle +Dick's, well-graded roadway as they were to follow the "pig paths" +through the forest. + +He had no trouble to collect tolls from the stage company, the military +authorities and American freighters, nor did he experience trouble with +the Indians who pass that way. However, the Indians who did not +understand the matter of toll generally seemed to see the consistency of +reimbursing the man who had made the road, and the chief of a band would +usually think it in order to make him a present of a buckskin or buffalo +hide or something of that sort. The Mexicans, however, held different +views. They were of course pleased with the road and liked to travel +over it, but that toll gate was as "a dash of cold water in their +faces." They called it Dick Wooten's highway robbery scheme. + +After Uncle Dick's road was completed and the stage coaches began to +travel over it his house was turned into a stage station and you can +guess that Uncle Dick Wooten had many a stage story to relate to the +"tenderfoot" who chose his house to order a meal or sleep in his beds. + +Kit Carson was one of the lifelong friends of Uncle Dick and two men for +whom I have great respect. They were both friends to the Indians and +both have told me that they would never kill an Indian. The Arapahoes +knew Uncle Dick Wooten as "Cut Hand" from the fact that he had two +fingers missing on his left hand. This tribe had a great veneration for +the keeper of the tollgate, and he was perfectly safe at any time in +their villages and camps. One of the dying chiefs made as a dying +request, that although the nation be at war with all the whites in the +world, his warriors were never to injure "Cut Hand," but to assist him +in whatever way they could if he needed them. Uncle Dick Wooten's +Christian name was "Richen Lacy Wooten" and lived at Independence, +Missouri, before venturing to the frontier. + +Before I leave Uncle Dick to go on to another journey across the Old +Santa Fe Trail I will relate the story of the death of Espinosa--Don +Espinosa. The Mexican aristocracy are called "Dons," claiming descent +from the nobles of Cortez' army. We will see how cleverly Uncle Dick won +the reward of $1000 offered by the governor of Colorado for the life of +the bandit, dead or alive. + +Espinosa living with his beautiful sister in his isolated farm house +among his vast herds of cattle, sheep, goats and other animals lived a +life of luxury. There was a government contractor living in his vicinity +buying beef cattle for the consumption of the soldiers. Espinosa came to +believe that he was losing beef steers and thought that the contractor +was getting them, and when this contractor was shot and killed by an +unknown at Fort Garland it was generally supposed that Espinosa had +murdered him. + +I have heard there was a very rich American living at the home of +Espinosa and that he was enamored by the bewitching beauty of the +dark-eyed sister of Espinosa and they were engaged to be married. The +American had told Espinosa that he possessed considerable money, etc., +and one night after the American had gone to bed he was awakened by a +man feeling under his pillow for the purpose of robbery, and shot at the +intruder, who was no other than the treacherous Espinosa. When Espinosa +found that he was "caught in the act" he killed the American with a +dirk. His sister cursed him for having killed her lover, the only child +of a rich New Englander. This deed is said to have stimulated in +Espanosi a desire to reap in the golden eagles faster and faster, so he +determined to become a bandit, a robber. Several Denver men met death +along near the home of the famous Espinosa and the governor accordingly +offered a reward of $1000 for his body, dead or alive. + +After this reward was offered I was passing through Dick Wooten's toll +gate on my way to Santa Fe and one of my passengers had a copy of the +Denver Times in which he read of the reward out for Espinosa in the +presence of Uncle Dick. Uncle Dick fairly groaned with satisfaction and +made this reply, "I will get that man before many suns pass over +his head." + +About two weeks later Wooten was hunting and he heard a shot ring out on +the air, and decided he would go in the direction of the shot and see +what was up. He got on his stomach with his rifle fixed so he could +shoot any hostile intruder and stealth-fully crawled up to within a few +yards of where he had discovered a small camp smoke. There he espied +Espinosa in company with a small twelve-year-old boy, ripping the hind +quarter out of a beef steer he had killed. Wooten kept watching and +crawling nearer--Espinosa unsuspicious of the watch of the old trapper, +prepared to cook his supper and had beef already over the fire cooking, +answering the many questions of the hungry lad near him, when Wooten, +getting a sight on him, sent out a shot that ended the life of the +fearless and revengeful Mexican bandit, the terror of the Mexican and +Colorado border, Espinosa. + +The boy hid under a log, but after being assured by Wooten that he would +not be harmed came out and answered Uncle Dick Wooten's inquiries. The +child said he was a nephew of Espinosa. When asked what the notches on +the gun of the bandit denoted, he told him they denoted the number of +men killed by his uncle, for whose life he had paid the forfeit by his +own at the hands of Dick Wooten, the famous trapper of the Rocky +mountains and keeper of the toll-gate of the Santa Fe Trail. + +Uncle Dick, a kind-hearted old fogie, in spite of the fact that he had +just killed a bandit, gently pacified the little lad and finished +cooking the supper. When it was all ready they both ate ravenously of +the beef, bread and coffee; then Uncle Dick cut off the head of Espinosa +and placed it in a gunny sack, took the rifle of the beheaded robber and +placed the little boy on his horse behind him and started for the +toll-gate; from there they went to Denver and collected the ransom. +Besides the $1000 reward for the potentate of the Rocky mountains which +Uncle Dick received, he was also the recipient of a very fine rifle, +mounted in gold and silver, and a small diamond. This rifle was said to +be worth $250. Uncle Dick showed the "fire-arm" to me and I considered +it a very beautiful instrument of its kind. Old Uncle Dick proudly +invited inspection of his beautiful "fire-arm," but woe to the man who +criticised its wonderful mechanism. I do not know of Espinosa's being on +the Santa Fe Trail but twice during my travels. + +The drivers used to have lots of fun with the passengers and after we +left Trinidad they would solemnly warn the passengers to examine their +Winchesters and revolvers, that it was not unlikely that we would be +accosted by some of the gang of the Espinosa's robbers, and tell them +that the Texas Rangers would often hide in the mountains and extract +money and other valuables from the passengers crossing over to +the states. + +Uncle Dick Wooten's wife was a Mexican and they had a very beautiful +daughter who married Brigham Young. However, this Brigham was not the +great Brigham of Utah and Salt Lake fame. He was only an employee of the +stage company in charge of the stage station at Iron Springs, about half +way between Bent's Old Fort and Trinidad. This station was situated in a +grove of pinyon trees and other fine timber and infested by mountain +bear. Sometimes if we were passing along in the night the mules would +smell the bear and become unmanageable. + + * * * * * + +One time I had a passenger, Joe Cummins, a marshal of New Mexico, en +route to Washington to get extradition papers for a man who had run away +to Canada, Joe was as full of mischief as a "young mule." I had three +other passengers and Joe Cummins kept them laughing all the way into +Bent's Old Fort, the junction of the Denver road. There we were met by +Major Pendleton and his clerk. Major Pendleton was paymaster of the +Union army on their way to Fort Lyon, Fort Larned and Fort Zara to pay +off the soldiers. He rode with me to Fort Lyon and from there he either +had to go with me by stage or take a Government conveyance, i.e. the +militia, which would take him eight or ten days. He decided to go with +me if I would agree to wait for him until he paid off the soldiers at +Fort Lyon and get an escort of soldiers. He said he had $96,000. He gave +me his package containing the $96,000 to put in the company's safe. I +was busy with my coach at the time he handed me the package and I laid +it down by the front wheel. A few minutes later he discovered the +package on the ground by the wheel of the coach and picked it up and +told me he would like for me to take care of it. I told him I would +attend to it as soon as I got loaded--we were fitting up two coaches +with mail and baggage to cross the Long Route and I would soon be +loaded, and I laid the package down again. Pretty soon the major came +around and picked up the treasured package and quite sternly asked me, +"Are you going to take care of this?" The third time he entrusted it to +me, at which time I asked him to come to the office of the stage company +with me. When I got there I drew an express receipt, signed and handed +it to him, stating that it would take $400 to express it. By paying that +amount I told him that I would place it in the safe. "Oh!" he said, "the +government would not allow me to pay express." I handed it back to him +and told him that the government then would have to be responsible for +it, not the stage company. Then the major said he would order a strong +escort to go with us across the long route. I told him that if he rode +with me he would do nothing of the sort, that if an escort went with me +I was the man to order it, then they would be under me and travel with +the same speed I traveled. I told him if he ordered the escort he would +have to stay with them, so the major told me to "fire away." I went to +Major Anthony and told him that I thought twenty men would be +sufficient, but that the old paymaster wanted thirty-five men, so I +yielded to him in this, and with thirty-five soldiers we started. At +daylight the next morning I yelled "All aboard," and the lieutenant in +charge of the escort, who was a regular army officer, told his cook to +get breakfast. I told the lieutenant that we always made a drive of from +ten to fifteen miles before we breakfasted. He said he wouldn't do it, +that the regulations of the army were to make two drives a day and not +over thirty miles without food. The lieutenant said he wouldn't drive +the way I wanted him to and they would have breakfast before they +started. I told him "All right, stay and have your breakfast, I don't +object, but then go back to Fort Lyon." I did not need an escort unless +they complied with my orders. I had orders from my headquarters and they +were supposed to be at "my service" as escort of the mail and express. +Well, Major Pendelton was in a "pickle"--it was a predicament he did not +know how to get out of. He wanted to get through as soon as possible and +knew that if he went back with the Lieutenant, he would be delayed. He +thought he had too much money to be left with me without the escort. He +remembered Major Anthony's words to him before we left the fort. Major +Anthony had told him, "you are safe in Billy's coach, he never has +trouble with Indians." However, while Pendelton pondered, Joe Cummins +thought he would fix matters with the Lieutenant and took him to one +side and told him that he was under the orders of the conductor of the +Government Mail and Express, that I was in the service of the United +States Mail and that my orders would supercede any orders about +traveling. Mr. Cummings told him that I would make my 50 and 60 miles a +day and he would have to make his mules travel that fast, or go back. +"If you leave," Joe says, "Major Anthony will report you to headquarters +at Leavenworth." The Lieutenant finally decided to go, much to the +relief of Major Pendelton. After we had gotten straightened out and on +the road' once more, Joe Cummins thought that the fun had tamed down too +much, so he winked at me, then asked me, "Billy, where do those Texas +rangers hold out along this road, do ye know?" "Yes," I told him, "they +generally hold out right across the river in the hills, which afford +them such good hiding places where they can ambush without being +discovered." At this, Major Pendelton suddenly woke up, "what's that, +you fellers are talking about?" Joe, casually remarked that they were +discussing that band of robbers that lived on the route across the river +from us. He kept on until Major Pendelton was feeling "blue." When we +camped for breakfast--dinner as the Lieutenant called it. Cummings told +the paymaster many a bloody tale of the lawlessness of that trail, and +ended by telling him and his clerk that while I was getting breakfast +ready that they had better practice up on their marksmanship. The clerk +had a four-barreled little short pistol. The first time he shot at the +mark he struck the ground about four feet from it. The four barrels all +exploded at once. The paymaster jumped about six feet in the air, +thinking that we were surely attacked from the rear. Cummings was +tickled to death. He handed the paymaster his revolver, which was a +12-inch Colts, and told him to shoot toward the board. The paymaster +fired and missed the mark. "Well," Cummings said, "Billy, it's up to you +and me, if we are held up by the Texas rangers on this trip." "But," +Cummings said, "the Major here is a first-class shot, but a little weak +in the knees." After we again resumed the road, the paymaster began to +feel a little easier, and a little like I should think a "donkey" would +feel. He knew now that Joe Cummins had been "prodding fun at him" and +had no defense. At Ft. Larned the next day, I accommodated the paymaster +by waiting four hours for him to pay off the troops. He asked me if we +had better take an escort, but I told him I was sure we had no use for +an escort since it was only a five hour trip to Ft. Zara, where Larned +City now stands. I told him that the last escort we would need would be +from Cow Creek and that we could get one from the commanding officer +there. When we reached Kansas City the paymaster took the steamboat to +Leavenworth and Joe Cummins went to Washington and made application for +extradition papers to go to Canada for a man who had done some damage in +New Mexico. Cummins told me that Lincoln told him to go on back home and +let the man in Canada alone, that the officers in New Mexico had all +they could attend to without another man. + +Joe Cummings went back to Santa Fe with me and had many a laugh about +the old gentleman, meaning Major Pendelton, getting so "riled up" over a +possible encounter with Indians, Texas rangers, etc. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +The Cold Weather Pinches Passengers Going Across the Plains. + +On one of my wintry trips across the plains, I took a passenger by the +name of Miller who was going to Santa Fe to buy wool for Mr. +Hammerslaugh. That was one of the most extreme cold winters I ever +experienced. When we reached the long route, that is from Ft. Larned a +distance of 240 miles to Ft. Lyon with no stations between, we took two +coaches if we had several passengers; however, this time I only had Mr. +Miller. The first night out I told him he had better sleep on the +ground, he would sleep warmer and be safer from the elements, but he +said he would freeze to death. I told him that by morning he would see +who had frozen if he slept in the coach. Well, he had lots of bedding, +buffalo robes, buffalo overshoes and blankets. This was in the month of +January and the weather was down below zero and still a "zeroin'," it +being at this time 20 below. Sixty-five miles from Ft. Lyon I opened the +curtains and asked him how he was faring, and he told me he was frozen +to the knees. At Pretty Encampment I opened the curtains again and told +him we had better put him in cold water and take the frost out of his +limbs. I told him I would cut a hole in the ice and put his feet in +there and he would get all right, but he would not hear to it, he said +he couldn't stand it. I insisted that it was the only plausible thing to +do. He said that if I would drive straight to Ft. Lyon as hard as I +could go that he would give me $100. I told him no, I could not do that, +it would kill the mules before we could get there. At four o'clock, +however, we arrived in Ft. Lyon with our frozen patient. We got a doctor +as soon as possible who doped his legs with oil and cotton and kept +him there. + +On my next trip in the month of February, I took a lady passenger, a +Miss Withington, daughter of Charles Withington, who lived ten miles +east of Council Grove, Kansas. She wanted to go to Pueblo, Colorado. I +told her how dangerous it was at that time of the year, but she insisted +that she would make it all right, and as luck would have it, she did +make it. John McClennahan of Independence, Mo., was our driver. On this +trip as on the previous trip, at Pretty Encampment I opened the curtains +and asked Miss Withington how she was. She told me her feet were frozen. +"Well," I said, "Miss Withington, there is only one thing to do, and it +is a little rough." She asked me what it was. I told her that I would +cut a hole in the ice and put her feet in the river if she would consent +to it. She was a nervy little woman, and laughingly told me to "go at +it." I went ahead with blankets and the hatchet and cut a hole in the +ice, and the driver carried her and emersed her feet in water 15 inches +deep. She pluckily stood it without a flinch. Her feet were frozen quite +hard but after 30 minutes they were thawed and we took her back to the +coach where she ate a hearty breakfast and proceeded to Ft. Lyon. At +four o'clock we reached the fort. Miss Withington put on her shoes but +her feet were still too badly swollen to lace her shoes and tie them. +She walked into the station alone, and there lay Mr. Miller, the +passenger of a month ago, who had lost both his feet above the toe +joint. Miss Withington walked up to him and said, "you're a pretty bird, +my feet were frozen as badly as yours, but I 'took to the water' and I +have no doubt but I will be all right." She never suffered much +inconvenience, but Mr. Miller was a life-long cripple. + +Miss Withington, whose name is Hayden now, visited in California in the +year of 1912, just prior to my visit there. I was indeed sorry not to +have met her again. I met her once since that memorable trip when she +suffered frozen feet, and they never troubled her afterwards. + +I always slept on the ground and never suffered with cold. I had buffalo +robes and government blankets. So long as the wind could not get under +the covering and "raise them off" I was comfortable. When the wind was +high, I usually laid our harness over my bed. In case of snow storms, we +would often wake up under a blanket of soft snow, and raise up and poke +our arm through the snow to make an air hole, then go back to +sleep again. + +The wolves would often prowl around our camp and help the mules eat +their corn. Several times I would look out from under my covering and +behold eight or ten wolves eating corn with the mules, and seldom would +ever go to bed without first putting out four or five quarts of corn for +the hungry wolves. One passenger whom I had en route to Santa Fe joked +me about feeding the wolves. He said that I had gotten so accustomed to +feed Indians that I thought to feed the wolves, too. + +[Illustration: LUCIEN MAXWELL.] + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Lucien Maxwell and Kit Carson Take Sheep to California. A Synopsis of +the Life of Mr. Maxwell, a Rich Ranchman. + +Lucien B. Maxwell was a thoroughbred Northerner, having first opened his +eyes in Illinois. He came to New Mexico just prior to the acquisition of +the territory by the United States prior to the granting of the ranch +then known as the Beaubien Grant. He was in the employ as hunter and +trapper for the American Fur Company. + +The ranch, known as the Beaubien Grant, was one of the most interesting +and picturesque ranches in all New Mexico and contained nearly two +million acres of ground, traversed by the Old Trail. + +Lucien Maxwell married a daughter of Carlos Beaubien. Interested in this +large ranch with him was a Mr. Miranda. After the death of his +father-in-law Mr. Maxwell bought all the interest of Miranda and became +the largest land owner in the United States. + +The arable acres of this large estate in the broad and fertile valleys +were farmed by native Mexicans. The system existing in the territory at +that time was the system of peonage. Lucien Maxwell was a good master, +however, and employed about five or six hundred men. + +Maxwell's house was a veritable palace compared with the usual style and +architecture of that time and country. It was built on the old Southern +style, large and roomy. It was the hospitable mansion of the traveling +public, and I have never known or heard of Mr. Maxwell ever charging a +cent for a meal's victuals or a night's lodging under his roof. The +grant ran from the line of Colorado on the Raton mountains sixty miles +south and took in the little town of Maxwell on the Cimarron river. The +place is now known as Springer, New Mexico. + +In the yard at the Maxwell Palace, as we will call his house, was an old +brass cannon, about which we may speak later on. He had a grist mill, a +sutler's store, wagon repair shop and a trading post for the Indians. + +Besides his wife, a Mexican woman, Mr. Maxwell had a nice little girl +eight years old, whom he sent to St. Louis with some friends to go to +school and to learn how to become a "high-bred" lady. In the fall of +1864 on one of my trips to Santa Fe I met Miss Maxwell, then a young +lady about sixteen years old, and took her to her father's house in New +Mexico. As we were crossing the Long Route I asked her if she spoke the +Mexican language. She told me that she had forgotten every word of it. +Everything at the Maxwell ranch had on its holiday finery in +anticipation of the arrival of this young lady and Mrs. Maxwell came to +meet the coach that bore her beloved child. It was one of the most +touching incidents that ever came up in my life, before or since. The +mother reached the coach first and had the girl in her arms, crying and +laughing over her, talking the Mexican language to her, but the girl +never understood one word her mother was saying and the mother was at an +equal loss to know what the daughter spoke to her. At last Mr. Maxwell +greeted his daughter who had grown so much that he could hardly realize +that she was his little girl he had sent to the states to receive the +benefits of education and became at once interpreter between mother +and daughter. + +One year later at Fort Union I met Miss Maxwell and talked with her. She +told me she had mastered the Mexican language and was a fine horsewoman. + +In the year of 1853 Mr. Maxwell and Kit Carson, who was a favorite +friend of Mr. Maxwell and not an unfrequent visitor at his place, went +to California with a drove of sheep. They took the old Oregon trail by +way of Salt Lake, Utah, and arrived in California some four months +later, where they sold their sheep to the miners at a very large price. +As I remember the sum, I think it was in the neighborhood of $100,000. +They met ill luck on their return. They thought they could return +together without being approached by robbers. However, they had been +closely watched and their intentions were pretty well known to a bold +band of robbers then plying between the mines of California and New +Mexico. After they had reached the Old Oregon Trail they were held up +and robbed of all they carried. However, the robbers accommodated them +by giving back their horses, saddles and bridles and enough money for +them to make their return home. + +During my travels across the plains I do not believe that for a distance +of forty-five miles I was ever out of sight of the herds--cattle, +horses, goats, sheep, etc.--belonging to Mr. Maxwell. + +A few weeks after Maxwell and Kit Carson were robbed on the Old Oregon +Trail they got together two other herds of sheep and went again to +California, taking every precaution against the attack of robbers. This +time Kit Carson went the northern route and Lucien Maxwell took the +southern route, arriving in California about seven days apart. They +decided to be strangers during their sojourn in the California town. +Putting up at different camps they disposed of their sheep and made an +appointment to come together again something like a hundred miles +distant, going west toward the Pacific ocean. By these means they hoped +to elude the vigilant eye of robbers and did get home without trouble. + +Mr. Maxwell was one of the most generous men I ever knew. His table was +daily set for at least thirty guests. Sometimes his guests were invited, +but usually they were those whose presence was forced upon him by reason +of his palatial residence, rightfully called the "Manor House," which +stood upon the plateau at the foot of the Rocky mountains. Our stage +coaches were frequently water bound at Maxwell's, and our passengers +were treated like old and valued friends of the host, who, by the way, +was fond of cards. Poker and seven-up were his favorite. However, he +seldom ever played cards with other than personal friends. He often +loaned money to his friends to "stake" with $500 or $1000 if needed. +Some of the rooms in Maxwell's house were furnished as lavishly as were +the homes of English noblemen, while other rooms were devoid of +everything except a table for card playing, chairs and pipe racks. + +There was one room in Maxwell's house which might be called his "den," +however not very applicable. This room had two fireplaces built +diagonally across opposite corners and contained a couple of tables, +chairs and an old bureau where Maxwell kept several thousand dollars in +an unlocked drawer. The doors of this room were never locked and most +every one who came to this house knew that Maxwell kept large sums of +money in the "bureau drawer," but no one ever thought of molesting it, +or if they did, never did it. A man once asked Mr. Maxwell if he +considered his unique depository very secure. His answer was, "God help +the man who attempted to rob me and I knew him!" In this room Maxwell +received his friends, transacted business, allowed the Indian chiefs to +sit by the fire or to sleep wrapped in blankets on the hard wood floor +or to interchange ideas in their sign language with his visitors who +would sit up all night through, fascinated by the Indian guests. If Kit +Carson happened to be at the Maxwell ranch his bed was always on the +floor of this very room and invariably had several Indian chiefs in the +room with him. The Indians loved Kit Carson and liked to see him victor +over the games at the card table. + +Although Lucien Maxwell was a northerner, Mrs. Maxwell was a Mexican and +with all the Mexican etiquette presided over her house. The dining rooms +and kitchen were detached from the main house. One of the latter for the +male portion of their retinue and guests of that sex and another for the +women members. It was a rare thing to see a woman about the Maxwell +premises, though there were many. Occasionally one would hear the quick +rustle or get a hurried view of a petticoat (rebosa) as its wearer +appeared for an instant before an open door. The kitchen was presided +over by dark-faced maidens bossed by experienced old cronies. Women were +not allowed in the dining rooms during meal hours. + +The dining tables were profuse with solid silver table-service. The +table cloths were of the finest woven flosses. At one time when I was +there Maxwell took me to the "loom shed" where he had two Indian women +at work on a blanket. The floss and silk the women had woven into the +blanket cost him $100 and the women had worked on it one year. It was +strictly waterproof. Water could not penetrate it in any way, shape, +form or fashion. + +Maxwell was a great lover of horse-racing and liked to travel over the +country, his equipages comprising anything from a two-wheeled buck-board +to a fine coach and even down to our rambling Concord stages. He was a +reckless horseman and driver. + +After the close of the war an English syndicate claiming to own a large +tract of land in southeastern New Mexico called the Rebosca redunda. He +came to see Mr. Maxwell and instituted a trade with him. Trading him the +"Rebosca Redunda" for his "Beaubien Grant," thereby swindling Mr. +Maxwell out of his fortune. After Mr. Maxwell moved to this place he +found he had bought a bad title and instituted a lawsuit in ejectment, +but was unsuccessful and died a poor man. + +Once during the month of October in the year of 1864, while en route to +Kansas City from the old Mexican capitol, I stopped at Maxwell's ranch +for lunch. + +Mr. Maxwell came out to where I was busy with the coach and told me he +wanted me to carry a little package of money to Kansas City for him and +deliver it to the Wells-Fargo Express Company to express to St. Louis. + +I told him I would take it, but I said, "How much do you want me to +take?" He told me he wanted me to take $52,000. I told him the company +would not like for me to put it in the safe unless it was expressed, but +he said he didn't want to express it. "All right," I said, "unless we +are held up and robbed I will deliver the money to Wells-Fargo Express +Company." "Now," I said, "in what shape is the money?" He pointed to an +old black satchel sitting on a chair and said, "There is the wallet." I +told him to wait until I went into dinner with the passengers, then for +him to go out there and take the satchel and put it in the front boot, +then pull a mail sack or two up over it and on top of that throw my +blankets and buffalo robes which lay on the seat on top of the mail +sacks, then go away and let it alone. Do not let any one see you +do this. + +Let me say that Maxwell's ranch was headquarters of the Ute agency which +was established a long time prior to my traveling through there. A +company of cavalry was detailed by the Government to camp there to +impress the plains tribes who roamed the Santa Fe Trail east of the +Raton range. The Ute tribe was very fond of Maxwell and looked up to him +as children look up to their father. + +One old Indian watched Maxwell put the money in the boot of the stage, +and after he had left to obey my instructions this old Indian who would +have gone through the "firy furnace" for Lucien Maxwell, stood guard +over the stage. I did not know it at that time, but the Indian +afterwards asked me how I made it in? When I came back to the coach I +laid the buffalo robes to one side, then I laid the mail bags to one +side and put the "wallet" as Mr. Maxwell called the old black satchel, +right in the bottom of the boot and laid one mail bag by the side and +laid an old blanket over both these, then piled on the balance of the +mail bags and lastly my buffalo robes. I usually slept during the day +after I took this money. My driver did not even know I had it. At night +I slept right there under the driver's seat in the boot of the coach. At +night I rode, before we quit driving for our rest, on the seat of the +boot with my brace of pistols between me and the driver. + +Within about three miles of Willow Springs, Kansas, a stage station, +twenty-five miles west of Council Grove, I discovered twenty-five horses +hitched to the rack. There was no retreat, so I had to drive right on +in. Just as we drove up twenty-five men came out of the settlers' store +and saloon and mounted. + +One passenger on my coach was acquainted with every man of them. They +were, however, true to my suspicions, a band of the notorious Quantrell +gang, the very ones who had made the raid on Lawrence and killed so many +people after robbing them. My passenger walked up to the gang and said, +"Come on, boys, let's all have a drink before you go." They all returned +with my passenger and drank, but I told the driver I did not want to +leave the coach and for him to grease it and I would fool around about +that so as to dispel suspicion that I was guarding my coach. Before we +were through with the coach the men came back and in my presence asked +the passenger if he believed the coach was worth robbing. "No," he said, +"I have not seen a sign of money." I told the boys that it wasn't worth +robbing, that there was not more than $10 in the safe and that it was +mine. I told him I didn't have much of a haul in the safe, but I said, +"Here's the key, you can go through it if you want to and satisfy +yourself." I laughed and talked with the balance of the boys as if +nothing unusual was taking place. One of the gang took the little old +iron safe, which was about eighteen inches square and weighing about 150 +to 200 pounds, and put it on the seat of the coach and unlocked it. I +had it literally stuffed full of way bills, letters and such other +plunder, together with a little wallet of mine containing $10. The +robber took out the ten dollars and held it up, saying, "Is this what +you referred to, conductor?" I told him that it was. "Well," says he, "I +will not take that, it is not tempting enough." I thanked the +accommodating robber in my nicest way for having left me money to buy a +few dinners with after I got to Kansas City, and they left us. I was +fairly bursting with satisfaction. No one on the stage knew that I had +saved the $52,000 of Lucien Maxwell's. However, boy like, just before we +rolled into Kansas City I told the passengers about the money. + +When we at last had gained Kansas City one of the passengers told Mr. +Barnum about the escapade with the robbers and my success in maintaining +a "bold front" and the "gold dust." Mr. Barnum grunted and said, "Oh, +well, Billy is one of our conductors that is so stubborn that he has to +have everything his own way." Then, he added, "Did you say he gave his +safe keys to the robbers?" "Yes," the passenger said, "he did." Barnum +replied, "I'll be dogged." Then he told the passengers about my having +deposited the mail in the river to make a bridge so I could cross my +coach and eventually to "reach the other side." + +When I returned from the express office where I had been to take the +money, in fulfilment of my promise to Mr. Maxwell, old Tom Barnum and my +passengers were still talking. Barnum approached me, saying, "Been up to +some more of your tricks, have you, Billy?" I told him I had been taking +"poker chips" to the express office, if that was what he meant. They all +had a good laugh; then Barnum requested me to show him the receipt I +gave Maxwell for the money. "Now, Billy," said Barnum, "you're a pretty +bird, you know we would not charge Maxwell a cent for express, for we +never paid him a cent for board or for feeding our mules--but never +mind,"--then he laughed, "oh, that receipt!" + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Kit Carson, My Friend. + +Christopher Carson, known among his friends as simply Kit Carson, was a +Kentuckian by birth, having been born in December, 1809. Kentucky was at +the time of his birth an almost pathless wilderness, rich with game, and +along its river banks the grasses grew so luxuriant that it invited +settlers to settle there and build homes out of the trees which grew in +such profusion. Small gardens were cultivated where corn, beans, onions +and a few other vegetables were raised, but families subsisted, for the +most part, on game with which the forests abound, and the lakes and +rivers were alive with fish. Wild geese, ducks, turkeys, quail and +pigeons swept through the air with perfect freedom. Deer, antelope, +moose, beaver, wolves, catamount and even grizzly bear often visited the +scene of the settler's home, among whom was our friend, Kit Carson. + +Kit Carson had no education. There were no schools to attend other than +the school of "trapping," and he became a trapper and Indian guide and +interpreter. + +When Kit was a small boy his father moved, on foot, so history relates, +to Missouri. At the time of the move, however, there was no state or +even territory of Missouri. France had ceded to the United States the +unexplored regions which were in 1800 called Upper Louisiana. + +Kit's father had a few white friends, trappers and hunters, but the +Indians were numerous. Mr. Carson, together with the other white +families, banded themselves together and built a large log house, so +fashioned as to be both a house and a fort if occasion demanded them to +fortify against a possible foe. The building was one story high, having +port holes through which the muzzles of rifles could be thrust. As +additional precaution they built palisades around the house. This house +was built in what is now Howard County, Missouri, north of the Missouri +river. Christopher Carson at fifteen years of age had never been to +school a day, but he was "one of the Four Hundred" equal to any man in +his district. He was a fine marksman, excellent horseman, of strong +character and sound judgment. His disposition was quiet, amiable and +gentle. One of those boys who did things without boasting and did +everything the best he could. + +At about this stage of his life his father put him out as an apprentice +to learn a trade. The trade he was to learn was that of "saddler." +However, the boy languished under the confinement and did not take to +the business. He was a hunter and trapper by training and nothing else +would satisfy his nature. + +One night about two years later when Kit was a young man eighteen years +old a man who chanced to pass his father's humble home related his +adventures. He told how much was to be earned by selling buffalo robes, +buckskins, etc., at Santa Fe, New Mexico. He drew beautiful word +pictures of wealth that could be attained in the great Spanish capital +of New Mexico, more than a thousand miles from Missouri. + +At last several able-bodied men decided to equip some pack mules and go +to the great bonanza. They intended to live on game which they would +shoot on the way. Kit heard of the party and applied to them to let him +accompany them. They were not only glad of his offer to go, but +considered they had a great need for him because he was so "handy" among +the Indians. It turned out that Kit engineered the whole party. He had a +military demeanor. When the mules were brought up and their packs +fastened upon their backs, which operation required both skill and +labor, it was Kit who ordered the march, which was conducted with more +than ordinary military precision. + +Kit Carson was a beloved friend of several tribes of Indians. He learned +from them how to make his clothes, which he considered were of much more +artistic taste and style and more becoming than the tightly fitting +store suits of a "Broadway dude" he had once "gazed upon." This suit +that he was so proud of consisted of a hunting shirt of soft, pliable +deer skin, ornamented with long fringes of buckskin dyed a bright +vermillion or copperas. The trousers were made of the same material and +ornamented with the same kind of fringes and porcupine quills of various +colors. His cap was made of fur which could entirely cover his head, +with "port holes" for his eyes and nose and mouth. The mouth must be +free to hold his clay pipe filled with tobacco. It is needless to say +that he wore moccasins upon his feet, beautified with many +colored beads. + +Prior to the year of 1860 I was not personally acquainted with Kit +Carson, but after that year I knew him well. At Fort Union he was the +center of attraction from the first of April, 1865, until April 1st, +1866. Every one wanted to hear Kit tell of exploits he had been in, and +he could tell a story well. Kit loved to play cards and while he was as +honest as the day was long he was usually a winner. He didn't like to +put up much money. If he didn't have a good hand he would lay down. + +Early in the spring of 1865 Carson went with Captain Willis to the +border of the Indian country along the lines of Texas and Arizona in +southwestern New Mexico. This massacre is fully explained on another +page of this book. + +Kit Carson, like Col. A.G. Boone, dealt honestly with the Indians, and +Kit Carson had on several occasions told me that had Colonel A. G. Boone +remained the Indian agent, if he had not been withdrawn by the +government, the great war with the Indians would never have occurred. + +Kit Carson was a born leader of men and was known from Missouri to Santa +Fe--he was one of the most widely known men on the frontier. + +Carson was the father of seven children. He was at the time of his +death, his wife having crossed over the river in April, 1868. His +disease was aneurism of the aorta. A tumor pressing on the +pneumo-gastric nerves and trachea caused such frequent spasms of the +bronchial tubes, which were exceedingly distressing. Death took place at +4:25 p. m. May 23, 1868. His last words were addressed to his faithful +doctor, H. R. Tilton, assistant surgeon of the United States army, and +were "Compadre adois" (dear friend, good bye). In his will he left +property to the value of $7,000 to his children. Kit Carson's first wife +was an Indian Cheyenne girl of unusual intelligence and beauty. They had +one girl child. After her birth the mother only lived a short time. This +child was tenderly reared by Kit until she reached eight years, when he +took her to St. Louis and liberally provided for all her wants. She +received as good an education as St. Louis could afford and was +introduced to the refining influences of polished society. She married a +Californian and removed with him to his native state. + +The Indians of today are possessed with the same ambitions as the +whites. There are Indian lawyers, Indian doctors, Indian school teachers +and other educators, but in the frontier days when from Leavenworth, +Kansas, to Santa Fe the plains were thronged with Indians they were +looked upon as uncivilized and were uncivilized, but were so badly +abused, run out of their homes and were given no chances to become +civilized or to learn any arts. + +The Indians around Maxwell's ranch were mostly a lazy crowd because they +had nothing to do. Maxwell fed them, gave them some work, gave the +squaws considerable work--they wove blankets with a skill that cannot be +surpassed by artists of today. Not only were these Indian women fine +weavers, but they worked unceasingly on fine buckskin (they tanned their +own hides), garments, beading them, embroidering them, working all kinds +of profiles such as the profile of an Indian chief or brave, animals of +all kinds were beaded or embroidered into the clothes they made for the +chiefs of their tribes. These suits were often sold to foreigners to +take east as a souvenir and they would sell them for the small sum of +$200 to $300. Those Indian women would braid fine bridle reins of white, +black and sorrel horse hair for their chiefs and for sale to the white +men. The Indian squaws were always busy but liked to see a horse race as +well as their superior--their chief. A squaw is an excellent mother. +While she cannot be classed as indulgent she certainly desires to train +her child to endure hardships if they are called upon to endure them. +She trains the little papoose to take to the cold water, not for the +cleansing qualities, but for the "hardiness" she thinks it gives him. + +[Illustration] + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +General Carleton Received Orders from Mr. Moore to Send Soldiers' Pay +Envelopes to Him. + +In March of 1865 I made my last trip across the renowned Santa Fe Trail +from Kansas City, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. + +Somewhere on the route between Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Fort Union I +met a Mr. Moore of the firm of Moore, Mitchel & Co. This firm owned a +"sutler's store" at Tecolote, Fort Bliss and Fort Union. The store at +Fort Union was the general supply station for the other named stores. +The stock carried at the supply store amounted to something like +$350,000 to $500,000. This stock consisted of general merchandise. It +was to this store one went to buy coffee, sugar, soda, tobacco and +bacon, calico, domestic, linsey, jeans, leather and gingham, officers' +clothing, tin buckets, wooden tubs, coffee pots, iron "skillets-and +leds," iron ovens, crowbars, shovels, plows, and harness. To this store +the settlers came to buy molasses, quinine, oil and turpentine, +vermillion and indigo blue. Everything used was kept in this one store. +During those times there were no drug stores, shoes stores, dry goods +stores, etc., but everything was combined in one large store. Calico was +sold for $1 per yard, common bleached muslin sold for $2 a yard, +domestic was from $1 to $1.50 and $2 per yard. Sugar sold for 75 cents +to $1 per pound. Coffee brought about the same. Tobacco and cheap pipes +brought stunning prices. + +Mr. Moore rode on with us for an hour or two, then he asked me quite +suddenly, "Aren't you Billy Ryus?" I told him I usually answered to that +name. Then he asked me if I was acquainted with John Flournoy of +Independence, Missouri. I answered, "Yes, we drove the stage over the +Long Route together for six months." Then Mr. Moore said that he wanted +to take me to one side and have a talk with me. Reader, you are well +aware that some men are born to rule--Mr. Moore was one of those men. He +never knew anything superior to his wishes. "What he said went" with the +procession. He even went so far as to order General Carleton, commanding +officer of the troops in that portion of the country, to make the +payment to the soldiers and mechanics at Fort Union through him and let +him pay off the soldiers. These payments would run up to $65,000 or +$75,000 per quarter. Up to the time of his meeting with me no one had +dared to thwart his wishes. + +At his request I walked out a piece from the coach with him, and he +said, "Billy Ryus, I have been on the lookout for you for a year!" I was +astonished, and asked him what he had been looking for me for. His +answer was that he wanted me to stop at Ft. Union on my way back from +Santa Fe and go up to their store and clerk for them. I answered, "Mr. +Moore, that is practically impossible; I can't do it." Then he said, +"you've got to do it, I've spent too much time looking for you already, +you've got to clerk for us." I am a little hot headed myself, and I +answered him as tartly as he spoke to me. "Mr. Moore," says I, "I've got +to do nothing of the sort." Then Mr. Moore cooled down and talked more +like a business man and less like a bully. + +"Now, Mr. Ryus," (I was young then and quickly noticed the Mr. Ryus) +"this is our proposition: We will give you $1000 a year, board, and room +and you can have your clothes at cost. And," he said, "I'll make you a +check right here." I told him that his proposition did not make a bit of +difference to me, for I was working for Mr. Barnum and could not leave +his employ without first giving him thirty days' notice to get a man in +my place. Mr. Moore was quick to respond, "Ah, let that job be +da--ed"--. This side of Mr. Moore's character did not suit me, and I +asked him what he would think of Mr. Barnum if he should stop over at +his store and take one of his employees off without giving him a chance +to get another in his place, and what would he think of the clerk that +would do him that way. I told him that I would not do him that way. Mr. +Moore said that he saw that I was "squeally" but that he saw my point, +and supposed I was right. "Now, Mr. Moore," I said, "when I get into +Santa Fe, if Mr. Barnum is there I will tell him about your proposition, +and if he can let me off now, and will take the stage back to the States +for me, I will take your proposition." He replied, "Well, that's all +right, you come back to us, if you don't get here for sixty days, and we +will pay your expenses here." + +Mr. Moore put the spurs to his horse and galloped out of sight. What my +impression was of Mr. Moore could hardly be expressed. I certainly had +not the slightest feeling of awe--that one of the passengers said he +felt for the man, but I do not know whether or not I felt any great +confidence in him. However, when I came to know him, as I did by being +in his society every day for a year, I found him to be a man of many +sterling qualities. + +Mr. Barnum returned with me from Santa Fe to Ft. Union and went up to +the store with me. Mr. Barnum told me that he regretted that I wanted to +leave his employ, but that if it was to my benefit, he would have to +take the coach in for me and get a man in my place, "but," he added, "I +do not think I will be able to find a man who can make peace with the +Indians, as you have always done." Mr. Barnum told Mr. Moore that he had +never lost a life since I had been doing the driving, and that I had not +only saved the lives of passengers, but that I had saved him money +and time. + +When Mr. Barnum prepared to leave the store, he had the coach driven up +and my things taken off and put in the store, then he turned to me and +held out his hand, saying, "Billy, in making the treaties with the +Indians, such as you have, you have not only saved the lives of many +passengers and won the title of the second William Penn, but you have +endeared yourself to me and to the other boys in this company, and to +all the settlers between Kansas City and Santa Fe." I was greatly +agitated and impressed by his impressive speech, and I thanked him for +his kind words of praise for the services I had given in my small way. + +The morning after Mr. Barnum left, I was feeling a little lonely among +my new surroundings, and Kit Carson sauntered into the room. As soon as +I looked into his kindly eyes I knew I had met a friend, and I also knew +in a moment that it was Kit Carson, of whose fame as an Indian fighter I +had often read. + +I told him that I had heard many tragic tales of his wonderful heroism +among the unfriendly Indians, and he told me that I had heard many a +"da--er lie," too, he reckoned. He never killed an Indian in cold blood +in his life. He told me that if the Indians had not been trespassed +upon, that the great Indian wars would not have become a thing +of history. + +The enormous trade at the "sutler's store" kept us four counter jumpers +continually on the jump for a year. There was no five cent picture shows +to keep the clerks out with their girls there, and the only amusement we +had was to either play cards or billiards, or to sit around and watch +Kit Carson and the boss play. Kit was a fine card player and seldom ever +lost a game, but he would not put up very much. To see him play +billiards was one sport, every time he hit a ball, he would kick his +foot up and say, "A boys, ay." + +This store of Moore's was built like a fort. The walls a 150-foot square +and built of brick. Every thing in New Fort Union was of brick. It was a +two story concern with a rotunda or plaza in the center. Here the wagons +drove in to unload and reload. The front of the store was near the big +gate. It had a safe room, an office and the store room proper. + +One trip per year was made to Kansas City with large mule trains to get +goods to stock these three stores. These trips were sometimes full of +suffering and hardships. Many a freighter left his wife and babies never +to return to them more. They were often killed by Indians who had come +to their trains to get food, but were repulsed by the poor policy of the +wagon bosses who have often ordered the ox drivers to "pull down on the +red devils" and so start trouble, which was often disastrous for the +whites, in view of the fact that the Indians on those plains were +numerous while the white men were few and straggling. + +Sometimes the old Indian squaws would come to the store to buy sugar, +candy, nuts, tobacco or coffee. She would come riding in on her pony as +slowly as her quick footed pony would carry her, greatly interested in +all her eyes beheld. She was greatly attracted by the bright colors of +the calicos and I have often made treaties with the Indians by offering +their squaws some bits of bright ribbon or calico. + +The Mexican women were very fond of bright colors. Their dresses did not +amount to much. They wore a short skirt and rebosa. Their head-dress +covered their hair and came together in front under the chin and hung to +the belt. What dress she wore must be very bright and gaudy and I have +known a pretty Mexican girl with about $2.50 worth of dress on come in +and purchase an $8.00 pair of shoes. If she wanted an extra nice pair of +shoes she said she wanted a pair of shoes "made out of Spanish leather." +Such a pair as would look nice on the dancing floors at their +fandangoes. The serapa takes the place of the American woman's bonnet. + +In 1866 when the war was coming to an end, trade began to get dull. I +had been wanting to get out of the store and "try my wings" at something +else. When I began to cast my eyes about for something different from +the routine of store work, I met a certain Mr. Joe Dillon, who offered +me the opportunity I was seeking. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Joe Dillon and I Go to Montana With Sheep. + +Along about the 15th of March, Joe Dillon, who had been a quartermaster +in the Union army, left the army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the +possessor of $60,000 and a mule train of fifteen wagons, which he had +obtained some way or other, the Devil knows how. He was a peculiar man +and totally unable to keep a man in his employ. He was abusive, bossy +and altogether uncongenial. + +With his train loaded with goods which he got in Kansas City and +Independence, he started with a wagon boss and several men across the +Old Trail to New Mexico, early in the spring of '65, but he had so many +altercations with his teamsters--some quit him, others would do as they +pleased, and altogether he had such a bad time of it that he did not +arrive at Maxwell's ranch until after the snow fell the +following winter. + +Every wagon that passed him brought news of Joe Dillon's troubles to the +fort. When Mr. Dillon came to me in the spring of 1866, I knew him +pretty well by reputation. He approached me and told me that he had +bought 4000 sheep from Lucien Maxwell and wanted to get me to go with +him to Montana to take them. I told him I would like to go, but that I +did not know whether I could get away or not. I would see Mr. Moore. + +"Alright," he said. "I think I will see Mr. Moore, and tell him I want +you to go and boss my crew." I replied that he must do nothing of the +sort, for if he did, Mr. Moore would not let me off willingly. I +explained to him that if I went to Mr. Moore and told him I wanted off, +and gave him a plausible reason, he would let me off without hesitation. +However, Mr. Dillon thought he had about made a "deal" with me and he +went into the office, and told Mr. Moore that he had "hired your clerk" +to go to Montana with his sheep. Mr. Moore told him that "he +guessed not." + +Dillon had agreed with me that he would say nothing to Mr. Moore. So he +came to me in the morning of the day after he first spoke to me about +the deal and said, "Moore said you couldn't go." I was hot all over in a +second. "Mr. Dillon, you agreed not to speak to Mr. Moore about this +matter--it was a matter between he and I, and since your word cannot be +depended upon, our business relations cease right here." I considered +his management bad and his word in honor, worse. Mr. Dillon returned to +Maxwell's ranch and I continued in the store. + +Finally, Mr. Moore approached me on the subject. "Billy," said he, +"thought you were going with Dillon to Montana with his sheep" I then +told him how it came about that I had told Dillon I would speak to him +about it first. We had made no contract, for without first getting Mr. +Moore's consent I would not make any contract with Dillon. + +Now I could readily see that trade had fallen off and I knew that some +of the boys would have to quit and seek other employment. There was one +man there with a large family in the states who received a salary of +$1500 a year. I knew that he did not want to be thrown out of a job, and +I was eager to "try some new experience." So I told Mr. Moore that I had +heard from one of Maxwell's clerks that Dillon did still want me to go +with the sheep, and if he was willing to let me off I would make Dillon +a proposition. "All right, Billy, you can make a proposition with Dillon +and in case you do not carry it out, you need not quit here," said +Mr. Moore. + +Joe Dillon came up the next Thursday night and began to talk to me there +in the store about taking his sheep to Montana. I told him that I would +talk to him about the matter as soon as the store closed that night, but +that I did not want to hear one word of it until that time. + +After the store was closed up I told Mr. Walker to stay with me and hear +my proposition with Dillon, and I wanted him to draw up our contract. I +told Dillon that I would take charge of his sheep under these +stipulations. I would have to have absolute control of the sheep, men, +mess wagons, pack horses and everything else. I would employ the men and +discharge them. I told him I would furnish $700.00 or $800.00 to +properly equip the train, and I would take a bill of sale from him for +all the sheep. I also told him that he would have to go on ahead on the +stage coach, or do as he chose in the matter, that he must absolutely +remain away from our camps and herds while I was in control. After much +deliberation, he agreed to my terms, and we signed up. + +I filled an ox wagon with bacon, flour, salt, soda, tobacco and saddles. +Mr. Dillon watched me put tobacco on the wagon and said I was loading +unnecessary stuff on the wagon. I told him that I would need all the +bacon and the tobacco, and perhaps several head of sheep to make my +treaties with the Indians when I took my sheep through their +reservations. Now this little speech brought a sneer to the face of my +venerable partner. "No use of making treaties with the Indians; you get +a military escort without paying anything out." I told him no military +escort would need to travel with me. + +About the middle of April I received the 3000 head of sheep from +Maxwell's ranch and took my assistant, Mark Shearer to Calhoun's ranch +to get the other 1000 head. I had left the camp in good trim there near +Maxwell's and everything was progressing nicely with my sheep on the +grass with good herders. At Calhoun ranch we were delayed on account of +Calhoun having to shear the sheep. However, after four days' delay we +started back toward Maxwell's. Joe Dillon met us not far from camp and +told me he had discharged four of my men and paid off two in tobacco and +the other two men would not take tobacco. He said that he had hired four +more in their place. One was a hunter and he had agreed to give him $80 +per month to keep the men in provisions. The other was a blacksmith +which he thought we might need after we started over the mountains. + +"Now, Joe, do you think you can discharge a man without paying him off?" +I asked him. "Well," he said, "I didn't have the money on hand to pay +him with." I told him that his meddling with these men did not suit me, +and that I did not want his four men, moreover, I said, "I will not move +a peg from camp with them. I employ my drivers and I discharge them." + +When we got into camp the hunter had killed a jack rabbit, all the meat +he had provided since he was employed four days before. After +reinstating my men and making Mr. Dillon understand that his place was +at the other end of the line, where he might as well be enjoying himself +until our arrival in Montana, we started on our journey. + +Dillon went on the stage to Kansas City and en route to Kansas City he +fell in with a sharper at Bent's old fort, and told him that he had a +drove of 7000 sheep coming. The sharper had 20 blooded brood mares and a +stallion, and bantered Dillon for a trade. They made the trade and +Dillon gave the "shark" a bill of sale for the sheep with the provision +that I would agree to it. + +When we got within nine miles of Denver we camped for dinner. While we +sat around our "picnic spread" a couple of men drove up in a buggy and +asked if Mr. Ryus was there. I told him to "alight" and take a few +refreshments with us, that I was Mr. Ryus. He told me to come out to the +buggy, he wanted to talk with me. I told him that "this is my office, +out with whatever you've got to say." He then asked me if the sheep were +Mr. Dillon's. I told him they certainly were not. They were mine. Then +he buckled up. "No, Mr. Ryus, they aren't your sheep, they are mine. I +bought them at Bent's old fort from Joe Dillon, and I am going to take +possession of those sheep and take them to Denver and sell them." I told +him that "maybe he would and maybe he wouldn't; we would see about +that." I then asked him what he gave for the sheep. He told me he had +traded some blooded horses and a stallion for them. I then asked him if +he was dealing for himself or for other parties. He told me he was +dealing for himself. "For how much are your horses mortgaged?" I asked +him. "Oh, something like $4000," he replied. I told the "horse trader" +that it wasn't worth while to take up any more time. As for my part, I +had rather think of my buffalo steak right then, and if he didn't want +to get out of the buggy and come and eat with us, to "drill on" toward +Denver, that me, the boys and the sheep were going to Montana. He said, +"Alright, Mr. Ryus, we will drill on, as you say, but we will take +possession of those sheep before you get into Denver." I told him to +"crack his whip," and to go to that warm place from which no "hoss +trader" returned if he wanted to, but for him not to interfere with me +or the sheep. Away he went. My temper was at its best and thoroughly +under control, so I told the boys to not feel the least alarm, no +"yaller backed hoss trader" would get those sheep, without getting into +a "considerable tarnatious scrap" with Little Billy. + +It seemed that we were destined to have several visitors before we +arrived in Denver. This time we had camped for supper and a lonely +looking half starved individual put in his appearance with a saddle on +his back. He asked me if he could get some supper with us and I told him +to "lay to," and he then asked me if I knew him. I told him I knew him +but it would not be to his disadvantage. + +A few days before this I had seen an account in the paper where a Mr. +Service had shot and killed a Mexican. I told him that there was already +a reward out for $1,000 for him. I told him he needn't say a word about +the affair to the boys, and I wouldn't. He told me that he had killed +the Mexican because he couldn't avoid it. It seemed that a very rich +Mexican with a twenty-wagon train and 100 yoke of oxen had stopped near +the little ranch of Service and Miller to cook their meals. He had +unyoked his cattle and driven them to the creek for water and instead of +returning by the route he had gone, threw down the fence and was driving +his oxen through Service's ten-acre corn patch. The corn was up about +two feet high and the cattle were literally ruining the corn. Mr. +Service attempted to drive the cattle off the corn, but the Mexican +hollowed to his peons to drive them on through. Mr. Service told him to +either pay the damage that his oxen had done his corn or drive them off. +The Mexican told him he would do neither. By this time Mr. Service was +thoroughly angry and told the Mexican that he would either take the oxen +off the corn or one or the other of them would die. Mr. Service was +unarmed at the time and he wheeled his horse around and went to the +house and got what money they had there and his rifle and returned and +shot the Mexican dead. He then made the peons drive the cattle away, and +he started for Maxwell's ranch on his pony. After reaching the foothills +of the mountains he dismounted and threw rocks at his horse to make it +leave, then he scrambled on a few miles through the young timber until +he came to a hanging rock under which there was a kind of cave. He crept +into this place to rest and snatch sleep if possible. + +In the meantime the Mexicans belonging to the train gathered up all the +Mexicans they could find scattered through the country, and without +molesting the partner of Service, started out to hunt him. Service said +that the Mexicans were so close to where he was lying that he could hear +every word of their conversation in that still, isolated place. He knew +from their talk they were going on to Maxwell's ranch where they +supposed they would find him. About ten o'clock that night he crept out +of his hiding place and crawled and slipped until he reached Maxwell's +ranch, then he went into the stable where Maxwell kept his favorite race +horse and led him out far enough from the house to be safe, then he +jumped on him and rode him until the faithful animal laid down and died +of exhaustion. He was left on foot some 75 miles east of where I was. +Service was so weak and exhausted from worry, lack of sleep and +nourishment that his condition was pitiable. We had to watch him for +twenty-four hours to keep him from over-eating. + +One ox driver who was an Irishman by the name of Johnnie Lynch came to +me and told me that the other ox driver had told him he knew who Service +was and that he said he was going to "give him up" when they reached +Denver and that when we got into Denver, they were going to "give him +up" and collect the $1,000 reward for him. Johnnie Lynch said that he +did not want to see Service put in irons, and that he thought Service +did no more than was right. "Wan more of those devilish Mexicans out uv +th' way don't hurt nohow," was his comment. "Now, Johnnie," says I, "you +go to my assistant, Mark Shearer, and tell him to tell the wagon driver +that if he undertakes to hand Service over to the authorities at Denver, +that he will kill him." When we got to within five miles of Denver, Mark +Shearer went around to the driver and told him to get back in the wagon, +and if he stuck his head outside that wagon sheet, he would use it for a +target. The driver was a born coward and quietly obeyed and remained +under the wagon sheet until we were forty miles beyond Denver when Mark +told him to "come to" now and try to be a man. + +The next night after Service came to our camp, he wanted to help stand +guard over the sheep at night with Barney Hill, my night herder. He said +he couldn't sleep nights. Barney told him to lie down and go to sleep, +that he would let no one harm him. He went to sleep and along about +eleven o'clock, he began to yell, "There they come, there they come, the +Mexicans, etc.," and he fired his revolver and made a general stir. We +managed to quiet him down. He was delirious and only half awake. For two +months Service got along all right. + +When we arrived at the North Platte River the snow had melted so the +river was running very fast. We attempted to cross the sheep on the +ferry. 125 sheep were placed on the ferry boat and across we started. +_Out_ 500 feet from the landing on the east side where we went in, the +ferryman got afraid the sheep were too far forward and would tip the +boat, so he attempted to push them back, and pushed some of the sheep +off in the river. All the sheep then made a rush to follow the +unfortunate ones. Barney Hill, who was on the back end of the boat, got +knocked off and could not swim and the boys had a good laugh at him +climbing over the sheep, looking like a drowned rat trying to get out of +a molasses barrel. Dick Stewart was a good swimmer and so he landed back +on the boat. + +After this load full, the boatman would not ferry any more sheep over +and we were compelled to swim them. We would call the goat and tell him +to go into the water. The goat would strike for the opening on the +opposite side of the river, but goat or no goat, the sheep would not +attempt the swim unless the sun was shining. The mountains rose right at +the edge of the river, consequently the sun only struck the river from +eleven o'clock a.m. to two o'clock p.m. and we could only put over 150 +or 200 sheep at a time. This operation took six days to perform. Getting +4000 sheep over a river under these trying conditions were anything but +pleasant, even in those days, when we knew no better method. + +At this ferry a funny incident occurred. I had a sorrel, blazed face +mule, and while we were crossing the sheep an old Irishman on his way to +Montana with a white pony and a blazed face mule, the very picture of my +mule, crossed the river on the ferry. I saw the Irishman's lay-out, but +Johnnie Lynch did not see the mule. The next morning I told Johnnie to +go out to the herd and bring my mule in. The old Irishman had camped +near us and had picketed his mule out but did not know I had a mule so +near like his. Johnnie saw the Irishman's mule picketed out about half +way between our camp and our herd, and he pulled up the picket and +started on to the camp with the mule. Pretty soon the angry old Irishman +came up behind Johnnie and knocked him down for trying to steal his +mule. Johnnie ran into camp and got my carbine and started for the +Irishman, I ran after him and asked him what he was "up to" and he told +me he had my mule coming in with it and the Irishman had accosted him +and knocked him down and took the mule away from him. About that time +the Irishman had come "along side" me and explained his position. He +said Johnnie had stolen his mule and that he was going to get his men +and hang him. Mark Shearer then begun an explanation but the two +Irishmen were on the "war path" and explanations were out of order. When +we finally got them straightened out, they had no very friendly feeling +for each other, and inwardly made up their minds to--BLANKETY-BLANK + +The day I crossed my two wagons across the River, the Irishman was on +the boat with his mule Packed with provisions and clothing. Johnnie +Lynch was driving one yoke of oxen. I saw the Irishman raise his gun off +of the floor and put It to his shoulder as though he was going to Shoot. +I leveled my pistol on him and told him To drop the gun or he was a dead +man. He dropped the gun and I made him walk between the wagons. Mark +Shearer picked up the gun, took the cap off of it, wet the powder in the +tube and handed it back to the old fellow and told him to make no more +attempts to kill a man. We took one direction at the forks of the road +and he took another. + +About 300 miles beyond this ferry we met the white pony returning but we +never saw any more of the Irishman. It is very probable that he "met his +Waterloo" somewhere in the boundless plains. We encountered a band of +the Sioux and Ute Indians, some of the same tribe that had killed +General Custer. Something like 150 or 200 came to camp. A few of them +could talk English. At the time they came to the camp, they were in a +strange mood. It took some courage and diplomacy on my part to keep my +men encouraged and to appear at ease with the Red Men. + +I went up to the chief and told them I had a large drove of sheep to +take to Montana, and that I must necessarily pass through their hunting +grounds, but was willing to pay them for the liberty I was taking. This +seemed to please the Indians and I told them we would eat before we +proceeded to business. We soon had some bacon, bread and coffee ready +which we offered to our guests before we began to eat. After they had +the first "helping" then we all began to eat our rations, after which we +passed the corn cob pipes and tobacco and while we talked we smoked. I +gave them two caddies of tobacco, 200 pounds of bacon, a hundredweight +of flour, several papers of soda, several pounds of salt, and a large +bucket of coffee. + +One Indian said that in order to preserve peace and to protect us on our +route ten of them would travel with us through the wildest portion of +the country. + +The strange escort remained with us two days, and when we were almost to +Fort Bridger, one of the Indians said that we would have no trouble +until after we had passed Fort Bridger and he did not think we would +encounter any perils even then. + +When they were determined to decamp, I took ten silver dollars out of my +pocket, and gave each one of them a silver dollar. This pleased the +Indians greatly and they shook hands with me and departed. + +When we arrived in Fort Bridger I had my sheep driven on past the fort, +and stopped to see the commanding officer. I asked him what their rules +were for traveling through the Indian country. He told me that a large +caravan of 200 wagons would start out in a few days and I would have to +drive the sheep on outside of the fort where I could get good range for +the sheep and wait until the other emigrants came up. I thanked him, but +I told Mark Shearer that I believed we could make it alright without the +caravans. So on we started. The sheep didn't have to be driven; they +drove us. By daylight those sheep were always ready to go on toward +their goal. They would pick and run ahead seldom ever stopping until +about the middle of the day. It was our rule to stop and eat or rest +when the sheep started. Truth is stranger than fiction, and it is the +truth that we would often make thirty-five or forty miles a day with +those sheep. The herdsman would follow the goat and the sheep followed +the goat. When the sheep were a little too industrious, the herdsman +made the goat lay down, then the sheep would lay down all around him. +Sometimes they would lay down about five or six o'clock, then we would +eat. But if they got up and started on we went, and they seldom ever +stopped to rest until eight or nine o'clock. The four drives averaged +from seven to ten miles a drive. In making this trip from Maxwell's +ranch in New Mexico to Virginia City, Montana, I crossed seventeen +rivers with those sheep and arrived in Virginia City with less than 100 +sheep short. I sold a few to the Snake Indians for from $5 to $8 each. +Of course, this was in trade, but it pleased them equally as well as if +it had been a gift. + +The next band of Indians we came into after leaving the Sioux, were the +Snake Indians. They were situated on the Snake River one hundred miles +from Virginia City. Snake River is one of the most important tributaries +of the Columbia. Instead of making a treaty with these Indians, I traded +them sheep and a caddy of tobacco for buffalo robes and deer skins, and +they seemed as well satisfied as if I had given them the sheep and +tobacco gratis. + +About one hundred miles from where we met the Snake Indians, we came to +a toll bridge. Here I met my worthy partner for the first time since I +had sent him on his "way rejoicing." Mr. Dillon had told the keeper of +the toll bridge that he had seven thousand sheep on the road and they +would have to pass over his toll bridge. + +The keeper of the toll bridge was on the lookout for us because the +report that Dillon had made would swell his finances $350. Inasmuch as +the toll across the bridge was 5c per head. When we arrived at the +bridge the keeper told me his charge would be $350. I told him I could +not pay the price, but he said Dillon would pay the toll. I asked him +what Dillon had to do with the sheep. "Why," he said, "they are Dillon's +sheep." I told him they were not Dillon's sheep, they were mine, and I +showed him my bill of sale. He said that nevertheless they were Dillon's +sheep. I asked him to describe Joe Dillon to me. He did so, and did it +to a "tyt." "Now," I said to him, "you go up on the hill and count those +sheep." They were laying down up on the hill in a kind of a swag. + +There was a Missourian there and he told the keeper he was a sheep man, +that his father was a large Missouri stock man, and that he could +approximate the number at a glance. The way those sheep lay together, it +did not look as if there was more than 1000 sheep. I asked him if he +thought there was over a thousand sheep there and he said he did not +think there were. The toll keeper said that when those sheep went +skipping across the bridge, it "looked goldarned like there mout be a +million uv 'em, and they must 'a bin three mile long, be blasted." + +"Well," I said, "of course you can count them." "Yes," he said, "I have +counted lots of sheep, and will count them." I went up to the station +and made arrangements that if he did not succeed in counting the sheep, +I would pay him $75 in tobacco or sheep, but that I had no money. The +toll keeper said he would neither take sheep nor tobacco, "but," he +said, "I will take a draft on the Virginia City Bank for $75.00." I told +the driver to drive the sheep across. "First," I said, "you get the goat +up and start him off, then keep the sheep just as close together as you +can and hop them across in a 'whoop.'" He did this and it was impossible +for the "counter" to count them. + +About 300 miles from this bridge, Mr. Service quit me. He bought a half +interest in a stock of cattle and in a toll road in that section, and I +heard no more from him until some 25 years later, when he again leaped +into the limelight. + +It seems that he had made a wise purchase because so many trains passed +over his toll road. He traded his fat cattle to the immigrants for their +poor plugs. He bought up all the poor cattle he could and would fatten +them and trade them off for three or four poor, jaded animals. The +profits were enormous. + +On our route from this toll bridge there was no particular incident +occurred. Virginia City was a fine little village of about 3500 +inhabitants. The estimate of gold taken out of the creeks running +through Virginia City was $100,000,000, mostly placer diggings, but it +was entirely abandoned at this time. + +However, at the time we were there with the sheep, there was about +thirty Chinamen prospecting a lot of 200 square feet. The price set to +them by the owner was $3000. He took $200 down and $200 per week until +the $3000 was paid. The man they bought from agreed to see they had the +right to use the water in the creek. The superintendent of the Chinamen +had this man go with them to the mayor of the city to ask the city to +protect them. The mayor then called on the city marshall and they agreed +to see that the Chinamen were not molested from getting the water from +the creek. The stream was very small and did not have very much water, +so the owners built a little dam and put in a tread wheel for the +purpose of raising the water, so as to have a fall of water to wash the +dirt in their sluice box. + +After they had mined two weeks, twenty-five or thirty white miners +concluded that the Chinamen shouldn't work in the territory and they +went above the Chinamen on the creek--about 500 yards or so, and built a +large dam across the creek with a wide opening, and put in their gate +and stopped the Chinamen from getting water. + +When the Chinamen were thus shut off, they went to the mayor with their +complaint. The mayor promised to investigate the matter, and told them +to go on prospecting on their other lots farther down the creek for the +purpose of seeing what other property they would want to buy, while he +investigated the cause of trouble. + +The mayor and the marshall knew what the miners were up to, but said +nothing then about it. They were aware that the miners wanted to raise +the big gate and let the water all out at once. + +There was an old building fairly close to the dam the white miners had +built, and the marshall and two other men secreted themselves in the old +house to watch the dam. At about one o'clock in the morning, two men +went in there with their crow-bars to raise the gate so all the water +could waste, and wash out the Chinamen's machinery. + +Slipping upon the miners engaged in their work of depredation, the +marshall pulled his gun on them, and marched, them to the city lockup. +The next morning a few of the miners got together and were going to +release the miners in the lockup. Then the mayor ordered the fire bells +rung and sent runners out over the city calling the people together. +Among the people who came to the "consultation" were many miners. The +marshal let the men out of the "cooler," and took their names, then the +mayor made a speech to the citizens and got their sentiments. He asked +the citizens as a community if it would not be better to let the +Chinamen alone and let them work their property, than to drive them out +and destroy their dam. He wanted the opinion of the people. He wanted to +know how many of the citizens were willing to let the Chinamen alone and +let them continue to operate their property. + +The citizens who wanted the Chinamen let alone were about ten to one of +the miners. + +The mayor now called on two or three prominent speakers of the city to +make a talk before the people who told why they believed the Chinamen +should be left alone, then the mayor called on a representative of the +miners to tell the people why they should want to ruin the Chinamen's +work. None of the miners would reply. + +That night the Council passed an ordinance prohibiting, under severe +pains and penalties, the willful destruction of property, and +consequently the Chinamen were left to pursue their work. The dam proved +an immense benefit to the city and surrounding country, and other people +began mining their lots, and using the water that had collected during +the night and saving it over, several mines were supplied with water. + +I was in a hurry to settle up with Mr. Dillon at this time and get +started back to the States, going by the way of Salt Lake City in +company with two men who were going through with an ambulance. I +remained in Salt Lake City two weeks when the roof on the Great Mormon +Temple as about three-fourths finished. At the time I was there, the +temple was about four feet above the ground and workmen had been +continuously at work for seven years. Up to that time, I was the only +Gentile who had ever explored the underground workings of the temple. I +went from Salt Lake to Denver. + +I had calculated to preempt a hundred and sixty acres of land in or +about Denver, and stopped over there for a few days. At that time I +could have taken 160 acres where the Union Depot now stands about the +center of the city of Denver. However, like many another boy, I took a +sudden notion to go home and see Mother first, and before I took +possession of this valuable "dirt," I pulled out on the first coach +going toward Kansas City. Stage fare cost me nothing because I rode with +Barnum-Vickeroy & Veil. + +When we got to Booneville, where I used to live with Colonel A.G. Boone, +when I drove the stage on the Denver line, the old Colonel insisted that +I stay with him. He said he had 2,500 head of sheep, half of which with +all the increase, would be mine, if I would stay and take care of them +five years. I told him that I had planned to homestead a 160 acres up +near Denver and that as soon as I had had my visit with my mother I +wanted to go to Denver, and could not take up his proposition. + +At that time Colonel Boone talked a great deal about the Indians. He +told me they were being shamefully treated; that the soldiers were +making war on them, etc., and said that it was his opinion that if the +Government would put a guard around the white people and keep them from +shooting the Indians, there would be no more Indian troubles. + +He told me that the conductors along the Long Route between Fort Lyon +and Fort Larned, were having no end of trouble. He told me that several +tribes had asked him about me, and said they seemed curious to know +whether or not I would ever return. + +After we left Colonel Boone's place, going toward Independence, we met +several tribes, some of whom knew me just as soon as they "got their +eyes on me," but I did not understand their language, and their +interpreter told me that they wanted to know if I was coming back on the +route. Several spoke about Colonel Leavenworth and Satanta and asked for +news concerning the Little White Chief, for that was the way they loved +to remember their little boy friend. + +There was something like 45 or 50 Indians in this gang, and the driver +was anxious to get rid of them, for he was not only afraid of them, +because of the trouble they had been having with the Long Route +conductors, but they wanted to be "driving on" getting nearer their +destination. I told the driver to let me manage the Indians and we would +"pull through" all right. + +I told the Indians to sit down around us and I would get some coffee for +them and a very small lunch. The conductors never had anything hardly, +and gave the Indians nothing but abuse. I managed to get together from +the conductor's mess, a small lunch, which they ate, and I invited them +to go with us to our next stopping place, fifteen miles distant, and eat +with us properly. + +On our way to the next stopping place, however, these Indians were +joined by other small bands which kept collecting. When we camped for +lunch and to let our mules go out to eat, the Indians let their ponies +graze, also. As provisions were scarce, we had a very slim meal, but +were all good humored over it. + +When the coach was ready to resume its journey, I shook hands with every +one of the Indians and told them I was going to the States and wanted +that they come to see us there. There were eight other passengers, +besides myself, on the coach, who laughingly said that they had crossed +the plains several times and had never witnessed such a scene between +white man and Indian, only when they traveled with me. + +There were five conductors. Four conductors were on the road all the +time and one resting all the time. In other words, while one conductor +rested one week, the other four worked until the time came for him to +rest and the other work. We usually rested either in Kansas City +or Santa Fe. + +Before leaving this chapter, I desire to tell my readers what brought +Mr. Service into the limelight again. About twenty-five years after he +killed the Mexican, he sold out his ranch and cattle and took the money +he had on hands, which amounted to something like $43,000.00, and +deposited it in the Denver National Bank of Denver, Colorado, and went +to Springer, New Mexico, in the locality of where he had killed the +Mexican. He went to the sheriff and asked him if he had ever heard of +the man, Service, wanted in that country for the murder of the rich +Mexican. The sheriff told him that he "guessed" that the murder had +occurred before his day, but that he had heard of it, and it must date +some thirty years back. + +Mr. Service asked the sheriff if the murderer had ever been back there +to stand trial, and whether or not the reward that had been offered at +the time of the murder was still good? "No," the sheriff said, "I do not +think the reward would be any good." The sheriff went on to tell Mr. +Service that he had been told by persons who claimed to have knowledge +of the matter, that Service had served his country well to have killed +the Mexican. + +"Mr. Sheriff," said Mr. Service, "I am the man who killed that Mexican." +The sheriff looked him over and said, "that can't be, you are too old a +man for that." Mr. Service had whiskers 12 inches long and perfectly +gray. His features were so transformed that his old partner did not +recognize him. Mr. Service told the sheriff that nevertheless, he was +the man, and that the reward had been offered for. + +Mr. Service told the sheriff that he wanted to "give up" and gave him +$200 and asked him to hire a good lawyer for him because he was +unacquainted in the section, and I want you to take out a warrant +against me. I want to be legally acquitted of crime and be a "free man +once more." + +After talking to the sheriff, he went to see his old partner, who did +not recognize him. He told him that he had more of the worldly goods +than the ranch was worth, but would like to have a settlement, and +invoice his own belongings, as well as the property his partner had +gotten together since their separation, and said they would strike a +balance and have a settlement. The old partner, whose name I have +forgotten, said, "no, I won't do it," he said, "you took the money from +the house when you left, and I had to pay Maxwell for his race horse." +"Very true," said Mr. Service, "you have had use of the farm these long +years, and would that compensate you for what you have paid out?" But, +he added, "the hay on the place has brought you about $2,000 a year, and +I think it is best for us to have a settlement." The partner would hear +to no settlement being arrived at, saying that he should have what was +there. "Well," said Service, "we will pass receipts." Each took a +receipt from the other, shook hands and bade the other good-bye. Mr. +Service was a broad-minded, liberal fellow, and had fully intended to +resume the partnership with his partner and share and share alike in his +money earned while he was away from the ranch. "By-the-bye, I will let +you look over this small book," said Mr. Service as he handed his bank +book showing the balance due him at the National Bank of Denver. "Why," +said the partner, "you have $43,000 in this book to your credit." "Yes, +sir," said Mr. Service, "had we invoiced our goods together, half this +amount would have been yours together with other moneys I have in other +banks." That talk completed the settlement and while the partner was +completely crestfallen, Service shaved and became a white man and free +citizen of the States. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Daugherty, a Silk and Linen Drummer, Contracts to Build a Cellar. + +At Fort Zara I met another old friend. Bill Daugherty was there keeping +the station. Nothing would do him but I should stay over there a week or +so. Daugherty was a natural born Irishman who had "kissed the Blarney +stone," full of wit and humor. He went to the coach and took my "grip +sack" off and took it to the house, and said I had to stay. I liked that +first rate, but I did hate to lose the time. + +Daugherty came to Kansas in 1862, drumming for a house that sold fine +linens, laces and silks, and had never done anything but sell silks, +etc. He was sitting in a kind of a tavern one morning and chanced to see +an advertisement in the paper that struck his "funny side." A gentleman +living at the corner of Fifth and Shawnee Streets in Leavenworth, +Kansas, had advertised for a contractor to build him a cellar, and the +advertisement said that none "but experienced contractors need apply." +The drummer, Bill Daugherty, decided he would call upon the gentleman +who wanted "an experienced contractor." When he arrived at the place +specified in the advertisement he found it to be a large general +merchandise store. Daugherty introduced himself to the proprietor of the +place and told him that he was an experienced contractor. "And," said +Daugherty, "I see you are in a hurry for the cellar, sure and I am the +laddie that can build that cellar quicker than a bat can wink its eye. +I'm from auld Ireland, and conthracting is me pusiness." The merchant +told him that he wanted the cellar built right away, and showed him the +ground he wanted it built on--which adjoined his business house on the +corner. Daugherty asked the merchant how much time he would allow him to +build the cellar in, and the merchant told him not longer than eight or +ten days. "Well," said Bill, "I will do it in less time." + +"Now, sir, you furnish me the tools, shovels, picks, wheelbarrows, and +running plank to the number I want, and I will go to work on your +cellar, Friday, if you will give me $100." The merchant said he could +not afford to give more than $80 for the job and that he would have to +take $20 in trade. "Alright, py golly," Bill answered, "I will take the +job that way, providing you put it in writing." The contract was drawn +up and said that the cellar was to be commenced on at 7 o'clock Saturday +morning. The merchant was to furnish all tools or pay for the tools +Daugherty bought up to a certain given number. Friday night Daugherty +had all his tools on the "job" and made everything ready to commence +work Saturday morning. Bright and early Saturday morning Bill was there +and he had two wagons from the saloon on the ground also. + +Thursday evening when he first made the agreement to build the cellar, +he went to the saloon and told the "Bys" to come to Fifth and Shawnee +Streets Saturday, that he was going to give a "B," and it was to be the +best time, and the liveliest time, and the finest "B" they ever saw. He +told the boys at the saloon all about his contract with the merchant, +and as they were mostly Irish, they quickly agreed to help out with +the plan. + +Bill Daugherty had the saloon man send down four bartenders, and he had +a keg of beer placed at equal distances apart with mugs and glasses and +the bartenders to draw the beer, and the fun commenced. Before seven +o'clock more than fifty men were on the job. The alley behind the store +building was five feet under grade and he put running plank on the +ground from the front of the ground running into the alley, and put four +wheel-barrows on them and a set of men shoveling. The work progressed +nicely with the Irishmen working and drinking and singing. Bill +Daugherty was in his glory and the old merchant was "feel-n' blue." Bill +kept encouraging his workmen telling them that some "great big doin's +was a-comin' off along about eaten' time." The restaurant man came with +a fine dinner and furnished everything in the eating line but the +coffee, and the saloon man was there with the "drinks." + +At one o'clock they all started to work and at 4 o'clock that afternoon +they had completed the cellar, and the engineer had inspected it, and +passed his judgment that it was a "good job." Daugherty went in the +store to get "paid off," he was feeling pretty good. + +He told the merchant that he wanted a nice vest for himself, a pair of +shoes, and a shirt and hat. Then, he told the merchant that he wanted to +see a fine paisley shawl, one that "you would like to see your wife +wear." The merchant showed him an $8 shawl, but it did not please the +fancy of old Bill Daugherty. "Show me a shawl that you would be pleased +to see your wife wear, one that you would be proud to see her wear to +church, that old shawl is not genteel." This time the merchant took down +a $16 shawl and after close examination, and the assurance that it was +the best one he had in the house, Daugherty accepted the shawl. "Now," +said Daugherty, "I want my cash." The merchant counted out the balance +of the money to him, and said he would wrap the shawl for the +"contractor." The merchant began to wrap the shawl up for Bill and Bill +told him that "that won't do, a lady wouldn't have a fine shawl wrapped +up like that, let me ahold of the strings and fine papers." Daugherty +called for tissue paper, he wrapped his purchase up neatly and then +called for ribbon with which to tie it. He wanted green and red ribbons. +After encasing the article in the tissue paper bound around with +ribbons, he put a piece of wrapping paper about it, and left the store, +and its room full of amused spectators. + +Bill went from the store straight to the home of the old merchant and +told the wife of the merchant that he was "frash from auld Ireland, and +that he had one shawl left, from his large stock, that he would sell her +real cheaply. He commenced to talk to the lady, and all the time he was +talking he was unwinding the papers from around the shawl. She looked at +him in amazement, and he told her that he had sold out a large +collection of fine shawls that he had brought from Paris, and that her +husband had seen this shawl and greatly admired it, and that he had said +to him in the presence of several other men, that he would like to see +his wife wear a shawl like it." She told him that the shawl must be +very choice. + +At last the wrappers were all off the shawl, and he threw it about her +shoulders and told her to look in the glass. He slapped his hands +together, saying, "beautiful, beautiful--real Parisian." On talked the +talkative Bill, until at last he saw he had won the lady to his view of +thinking that she was a real Parisian figure with the shawl gracefully +draped about her shoulders, and she asked him what he would take for it. + +He told her that she could have it for just $65. and before she could +catch her breath, he wheeled her about where she could see her profile +in the glass, and told her to "just look at the reflection, could +anything be handsomer?" He told her that it was the last one he had, and +was cheap at the price, that her husband had said so, and that he said +he would like to see her wear it. + +She paid the money for it and he departed. He met one of his cronies +down the street and told him about the transaction. "Now," said he, "you +go down and tell him that he had better come over to the saloon and +treat, and I will have the other boys over there hidden in the back +room, and we will all get a glass and + +"All go down to Rowser, to Rowser, to Rowser, We'll all go down to +Rowser and get a drink of beer." + +Well, the merchant "fell to" and the treats cost him in round figures +the sum of $11.00. When Daugherty left to catch his stage out from there +to Fort Zara, he was still treating the crowd, and getting pretty +full, himself. + +After the affair at Leavenworth, Bill Daugherty came to Kansas City on +the boat, and asked the stage company if they needed a man to care for +some of their stations. Mr. Barnum employed Bill and he went to Fort +Zara, out among the Indians, where Bill's tongue helped him to get along +very nicely with them. + +When he chanced to allude to Fort Leavenworth, he always told the story +of his "contracting" at Leavenworth on the corner of Fifth and Shawnee +Streets. Out there at Fort Zara, Bill enjoyed himself as only Irishmen +can, but his stumbling block was Captain Conkey, who was the biggest +crank on earth, "take it from me," for he and I had a little "set-to." +Daugherty always sent his "red, white and blue regards to the old +merchant" by whosoever went to Leavenworth. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +Captain Conkey. + +Captain Conkey was a "jackass" to make a long story short. He had a +company of soldiers at Fort Zara for the purpose of escorting the mail +from one station to another. Once on my way East with a coach full of +passengers, a snow storm began to rage, at about four o'clock in the +afternoon, soon after I had left Fort Larned. It snowed so hard that at +8 o'clock we couldn't tell where the road was, and the passengers took +it time and about with me running along the road in front of the coach +to find the road. + +We got to Fort Zara at ten o'clock that night, the orderly sergeant came +after the mail about 500 yards from the soldiers' camp. I told the +sergeant that I wanted an escort at nine o'clock in the morning. He gave +Captain Conkey my orders and the Captain told him to go back and arrest +me and put me in chains. The First Lieutenant told the Captain that I +would be there in the morning; that they had no place to sleep me, so +the Captain let me alone that night, but the next morning he sent his +orderly after me. When the orderly came to the station, he said to me, +"that old fool of a captain sent me down here to arrest you." I asked +him what he wanted with me. The orderly told me that he was to arrest me +for ordering an escort. I told the orderly to "fire away," I would go +over and see the old "mossback." + +Their quarters was a little dugout in the side of the hill along the +river bank. They had a gunny sack for the door, and I went into the +first room, which was used for a kitchen, and the cook told me to go to +the next room, it had a gunny sack door, too, the First and Second +Lieutenants were in there. They told me to go on to the next room that +the Captain's headquarters was in the other room. I had my mittens and +overcoat on, and he said, "you pull off your hat, you insolent puppy, +and salute me." I replied to the Captain's kind words of greeting that, +"I will not salute you, but excuse me, I should have had manners enough +to have removed my hat." He told me that he "would put the irons" on me. +I answered him that I did not think he would do such an unmanly thing, +at least right then. This exasperated the haughty Captain, and he +hollowed for the First Lieutenant to come and put me in irons. I asked +him what he was there for, and he told me that it was "none of my +business." I then got pretty middling hot myself, and I told him that if +he did not know his business, that it was "up to me" to "put you next," +or words to that extent. I told him that he was there for the purpose of +furnishing escorts for the United States mail and that it was I, and not +he, in command there, then, by virtue with the position I held with the +Government, and I told him that I now ordered him to be placed under +arrest. I called on the Lieutenant to place the irons on him. I told him +that I would take him to Leavenworth, and the Lieutenant, delighted by +the change of program, said, "alright." + +Captain Conkey then told me that he would furnish the escort, and I told +him to do so, then, and I would leave him here, that I had no room on +the coach for such a "donkey" as he was, but that I would tell the +commanding officer at Fort Leavenworth that we needed a captain for the +company here, in order to save time and trouble for the other conductors +of the road. I told him that he had not only taken up time, but that he +had made a perfect "donkey" of himself, and of the men who had favored +him with this position. + +Captain Conkey asked me if the Indians were bad again. I told him that +it did not matter whether they were bad or not, I wanted an escort. I +got my escort of fifteen soldiers at last and after getting the teams +hitched, off we started, the soldiers in advance to break the roads. +That is, as a matter of fact, all the use we had for them. We could +travel very well when they had ridden ahead and broke the snow so we +could follow the trail. + +Daugherty built him a new station across the creek from where Conkey was +camped, on Walnut Creek. He put up corals for the mules and built a +fort-like building for his home. About the time he had finished his +buildings, some white hunters had killed some Indians, and trouble began +between the white race and the Indian tribes. + +One day at about ten o'clock in the forenoon, Mr. Daugherty went up on +the top of his house with his field glasses to inspect the surrounding +country. He noticed that Indian smokes were all around, and the Indians +seemed to be coming toward them all the time. + +He hastened down from the roof and called the orderly from Captain +Conkey's company to him and told him that unless the Captain moved to +his fort within an hour and a half that they would all be killed by the +Indians. There had been bad blood between Conkey and Bill Daugherty for +quite a while, and when Daugherty sent the orderly to Conkey with the +warning of the coming Indians, Captain Conkey got mad and told the +orderly to go over and arrest Daugherty for disturbing his peace. Just +as the soldiers coming to arrest him stepped on the bridge, Bill +Daugherty halted them. He said, "if you come another foot, I will fire +on you." You go back and tell Conkey, the fool, that if he don't get you +men to this side inside of half an hour, you will all be "gonners." If +you want the protection of my fort, come over and you will have the same +protection as I have, otherwise, you will go up in smoke, holy, or +otherwise. Daugherty then took his gun and went to the Captain, and +saluting him, said: "The Indians are coming, 1,000 strong, and unless +you get your wagons, etc., out of here, and at once, you will be +scalped." Captain Conkey then decided that for the benefit of his +health, he had better decamp to the other side for protection. He just +barely escaped when the Indians swooped down on his camp ground. Then +Daugherty took his gun and went to the bridge and laid the gun down and +walked over it toward the Indians, motioning to them that he came in +peace, and for them to come and get something to eat. Daugherty took +four of the Indians to his fort and gave them some bacon, coffee and +other provisions, and took two other men from the fort with him with +axes, to chop wood for a fire, and they cooked a meal and with the +Indians the four white persons and Bill Daugherty sat down to "meat." +Bill Daugherty showed the Indian chiefs over his fort, explained the +working of his guns and cannons. He had 40 port holes in the houses and +shelves under each one on which to rest a gun. After giving them a large +box of smoking tobacco, he told them they could go on back to their camp +and that he would keep the soldiers peaceable if he would keep his +braves peaceable. Captain Conkey told Daugherty that he believed he +would go down and see the chief, and Bill answered him, to "go if you +d--ed please, and you want to lose your scalp, for they will surely not +put up with your palaver." Conkey concluded that he had better remain in +the home of his enemy than risk his precious scalp at the camp of +the Indians. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +Colonel Moore's Graphic Description of a Fight with Cheyennes.[1] + +That Colonel Milton Moore for a quarter of a century has been a +prominent practitioner at the Kansas City bar, a member of the election +boards, and is now serving as a school commissioner is well known, but +that the old commander of the Fifth Missouri infantry was ever a Santa +Fe freighter in the days when freighting was fighting, was not generally +known until there appeared a month ago in Hal Reid's monthly, Western +Life, a paper written by Colonel Moore for the Kansas Historical Society. + +The story is that of an engagement between a party of freighters, with +whom was young Moore, and a band of Indians, in 1864, not far from +Dodge City. + +The story as told by Colonel Moore was incomplete in that he admitted he +did not know by what Indians his party was attacked. A week ago the +sequel appeared in the form of a letter from George Bent, at present +residing at Colony, Okla., who has written to Colonel Moore to tell him +that the leader of the Indians he fought with forty-four years ago was +the notorious "Little Robe," no chief at all but a great warrior. With +the Bent letter Colonel Moore's story is complete, and both are +here given: + +"After the commencement of the Indian war on the upper Arkansas in 1864 +caravans were not permitted to proceed westward of Fort Larned on the +Pawnee Fork, or the confluence of that stream with the Arkansas, near +where the city of Larned now stands, on the river road, in parties of +less than 100 men. In August two trains of Stuart, Slemmons & Co., who +had the general contract for the transportation of government stores for +the posts on the Arkansas and in New Mexico and Arizona that year, +reached the mouth of Pawnee fork, and found awaiting them a Mexican +train bound for some point below the Santa Fe, also a small train of +fourteen wagons under the direction of Andrew Blanchard of Leavenworth. +The name of the wagonmaster of the Mexican train is not remembered, but +he was either a Frenchman or Castilian. The S. S. trains were under the +charge respectively of Charles P. McRea and John Sage, both of whom were +men of experience and tried courage. The four trains having a force of +men numbering more than 100 were allowed to proceed. + +"A full train of the period was twenty-five wagons loaded with freight, +and a provision wagon, commonly known as the 'mess wagon,' each drawn by +six yokes of oxen; the freight of each wagon was from 6,000 to 7,000 +pounds. There was one wagonmaster, one assistant and one extra man, +denominated the 'extra hand,' who were mounted, twenty-six teamsters and +two night herders. In practice the night herders soon became teamsters, +replacing sick men, or those who for some reason had turned, or were +turned back, and the slavish duty of night herding cattle fell upon the +teamsters. + +"Thomas Fields of Jackson County, Missouri, route agent for the S. S. +company, was elected captain of the combined trains. He was a man of +many years' experience on the plains, and had been in more than one +contest with the Indians. + +"The rule of travel was: The train having the advance today should go to +the rear tomorrow, and so on. Blanchard, having light wagons, which +could be moved easily and rapidly, was dissatisfied with the rule, and +refused at times to be governed by it, with the result hereinafter stated. + +"On Sunday, August 21, the trains, after a hard morning drive, reached +the head of the 'dry route,' which left the river some miles below the +present Dodge City, ran over the hills by old Fort Larned, not touching +the Arkansas valley again until the crossing of Walnut creek. McRea was +in front, followed by Sage, the Mexican, and Blanchard, in the order +named. The region was known to be dangerous because near the great trail +of the Indians in their journeyings from north to south and the reverse. + +"McRea went into corral just south of the road about 10 o'clock a.m., +and Sage and the Mexican in their order, but well closed up. The three +first trains corralled so as to leave room for Blanchard's train with +its rear resting on or near a bayou in such way that it would be +practically impossible for a band of Indians to sweep around it. Instead +of camping at the place designated, Blanchard continued on and went into +corral about half a mile beyond McRea. The cattle were placed south of +the trains, near the river, and guards put out. The trainmen were armed +with Minie rifles, and the order in force required that these be carried +in slings on the left sides of the wagons--a rule but little observed. +As a matter of fact, the guns were usually in the wagons, and +practically inaccessible when needed in an emergency, except as +hereafter stated. The teamsters of McRea's train were largely from +Missouri; and a number of them had seen military service upon one side +or the other in the Civil War. They were a well-controlled and reliable +body. The first mess on the right wing were white men, excepting the +negro cook, Thomas Fry, who was afterwards a ragpicker in Kansas City, +and died there. He was an honorably discharged soldier from the United +States volunteer army on account of the loss of the first two fingers of +the right hand in battle. + +"The second mess was wholly negroes, or 'black men,' as the Missourians +of the period termed them. The negroes, possibly from the novelty of +having far-shooting guns in their possession, habitually had their arms +at hand when in camp, practicing at targets as far as allowed by the +rules of the wagonmaster. At about 1 o'clock in the afternoon the camp +was quiet, many of the men asleep; one big fellow was lying on his back +under his wagon singing 'Sweet Eloise,' and three men from McRea's train +were out more than 100 yards towards the ridge, shooting at +prairie dogs. + +"Suddenly the cry of 'Indians' came from one of these. A glance at the +ridge not more than half a mile away showed it to be covered with +mounted Indians, and a dozen or more coming down the slope at full run, +evidently intending to overtake the three men before they could reach +the corral, and were in a fair way to do so, and possibly pass between +Sage and McRea. The six negroes of the second mess instead of running +inside the corral and firing from behind wagons, as they would have been +justified in doing, boldly opened fire on the advancing party and walked +out to the road towards them. This turned the Indians and the three men +came in safely. Nevertheless five of the Indians, led by a man on a +yellow pony, dashed through between the trains of McRea and Blanchard +and very near the latter. Probably forty or more passed around the head +of Blanchard's train and came in south of it. + +"The ridge was still covered with mounted men who had not then descended +into the valley. When Blanchard saw the five Indians pass by the mouth +of his corral he mounted his pony, drew his revolver, an ordinary +36-caliber, and rode out after them, evidently not noticing those who +had passed around the front of his train. By the time he had gotten +possibly 200 yards from his camp the Indians, who by that time had +concentrated, divided into two parties, and one began to drive off his +cattle and the other to circle around him, lying on the sides of their +ponies and covering their bodies with shields. By this time the train +men in the corrals of McRea and Sage had got their arms and those on the +south side opened fire, but at too great a distance to protect +Blanchard, or to do the Indians serious injury. + +"The Indians closed on Blanchard, and either knocked him off his horse +in an effort to get him onto one of their own ponies, to take him out of +the fire or he fell from wounds. As he fell his fourteen teamsters and +one night herder left their corral, and without a word of command formed +a line, and charged the mass of Indians, firing rapidly as they +advanced. The Indians hesitated before giving up their victim, but +finally retreated. Blanchard was able to get on his feet and run to his +men, who brought him to McRea's camp where he died in an hour. He had +been shot one or more times, lanced behind one shoulder, and an arrow +had entered his back near the spinal column and protruded about eight +inches out through the stomach; this he pulled through himself before +reaching his rescuers. When his pistol was found, which he had dropped, +two chambers were empty, but there was no evidence that he had wounded +any of the Indians. + +"We buried him by the side of the road, and upon our return in the fall +it appeared that his grave had been opened, but whether by savage +Indians, wolves or loving hands we never knew. After retreating some +distance, driving the cattle of Blanchard's train, four Indians dashed +back into McRea's herd and took out about one-third, and a few belonging +to Sage. This was done under a heavy rifle fire, but so far as ever +known no Indians were hurt. They left two of their ponies down on the +river bank, which probably had been disabled. The Mexicans sustained no +loss. After the skirmish was ended a few well directed shots dispersed +the party that had remained on the hill; and one Indian, not exceeding +800 yards away, who seemed to be acting as a signal man, was directly +fired at--the rifleman resting his piece on a wagon tongue; so far as we +knew no harm happened to him, but he galloped swiftly from his post, and +was not seen again. + +"The Indians drove the cattle so captured across the river to a point +two or three miles away, then unsaddled their ponies and rested. About 4 +o'clock in the afternoon another herd, consisting of horses, mules and +cattle, the proceeds of other raids, were driven down on the south side +of the river, and added to those taken from Blanchard's train and the +S.S. trains. The combined herds were then driven southward over the sand +hills. We saw no more of this war party. It was anticipated that some +might remain and watch for a messenger that must necessarily be sent +back to Fort Larned; if any were left we had no evidence of it. + +"As all of Blanchard's herd except two oxen had been taken it was +necessary to communicate with Fort Larned, the nearest military post. +The distance was estimated to be about sixty-five miles. The night +herder of Blanchard's train expressed a willingness to go upon this +perilous undertaking. While making his preparations at McRea's camp he +was asked if he wanted any money, that a little might be found in the +train. He replied that money would not 'help' him 'on a trip like this,' +but he would be glad to have a small bottle of whisky and some tobacco, +as he might not get anything to eat before the afternoon of the next +day. These having been furnished him, and when it was dark, without a +word of parting, he mounted the pony, off which Blanchard had been shot, +and rode away towards the hills, saying that it was his purpose to keep +away from the road and travel under the 'tops of the ridges.' On the +second morning after his departure, and just at daylight a body of +soldiers arrived, accompanied by the messenger, together with a long +train of wagons. The commanding officer took charge of Blanchard's +wagons, and within an hour McRea, Sage and the Mexican were moving on to +their several destinations under an escort, commanded by Captain +Butcher, Eleventh Missouri Volunteer cavalry. The remainder of the +journey was made by the three trains without incident--Indians having +been seen but once, and that was a short distance below old Fort Lyon; +the party disappeared rapidly, and was evidently traveling and not on +the warpath. + +"Returning to the messenger, his courage and boldness stamped him as a +man whose name should be preserved, if possible, in Kansas historical +collections, but I never heard of him again, and do not remember his +name, possibly never knew it. The plainsman of that period, like his +successor, the cowboy, was not inquisitive. He might ask another where +he was from, but rarely his name--never his former business. The +messenger was then of full middle life, rather stout, with sandy colored +hair and beard, and brown eyes. He was simply a night herder, probably +had no other occupation, but like the trapper, the hunter and the +plainsman, he has probably joined his class. + +"In 1877 I was at Dodge City several days taking testimony in a case +growing out of the loss of a train of mules near the Cimarron crossing +in the year 1864, and one afternoon, in company with a former member of +the firm of Stuart, Slemmons & Co., drove down to Fort Dodge and below +to identify, if possible, the place where Blanchard was killed, but +could not. From the course of a bayou I was led to believe that the +guard house at Fort Dodge was located at or near the place where the +rear of the Mexican train stood. However, there was no landmark by which +the place could be reasonably identified. In years past I have made many +inquiries to learn if possible what band of Indians made the attack, but +have obtained no satisfaction. It was the opinion of our captain, Thomas +Fields, judging from their mode of attack, that the Indians were +Comanches or Kiowas, or both." + +In 1908 I wrote George Bent, a former school mate, and received the +following reply: + +"Colony, Okla., Jan. 17, 1908. + +"Colonel Milton Moore, Kansas City. + +"Sir: I have seen published in a Western periodical your paper now in +the archives of the Kansas Historical Society relating to a battle your +train had with a war party in August, 1864, near where Fort Dodge was. +Cheyennes were camped on the Solomon river. Several war parties started +from this village to make raids on trains. Most of these parties went to +Platte river. The Sioux joined these war parties that went to Platte +river. 'Little Robe,' now dead, was head of this party that your trains +had fight with. There were twenty or thirty warriors in this party. The +man you speak of riding the yellow horse in the lead was 'Bear Man.' He +was no chief; only grand warrior in battles. I was in the Cheyenne +village when these war parties started out and I knew this young man +well. He died at Darlington agency several years ago from an old wound +he got fighting Utes. He was about twenty-five years old when he led +that charge through between the trains. The war party did not drive the +cattle very far out when they left them. Just before this fight, in +July, I think, the Kiowas and Comanches attacked a train or two at +Walnut creek. They killed several teamsters. Brother Charles was at +Charley Rath's ranch on Walnut creek at the time. He told me about it +when he came to the village on Solomon river. The whites started this +war in 1864. As I was with the Cheyennes at the time I knew what took +place. The Kansas Historical Society ought to get the Indian side of the +history of all these wars between the whites and Indians. + +"Respectfully yours, + +"GEORGE BENT." + +[Footnote 1: NOTE.--Colonel Milton Moore, the signer of this Preface, is +a man of unusual legal ability. The confidence reposed in the old +commander of the Fifth Missouri infantry is clearly set forth by the +fact that for more than a quarter of a century he has been a member of +the police and election boards and has served for a long time as school +commissioner and is one of the most prominent practitioners at the +Kansas City Bar, with offices on the third floor, suite 3, Rialto Bldg., +Kansas City, Mo.] + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +Pecos Church. + +I will call attention to the Old Pecos Church which was probably owned +by the Roman Catholics at one time, but which was in ruins when I first +saw it, as I drove by with my stage coach to Santa Fe. It stood twenty +miles east of Santa Fe on the old trail. The walls were built of adobe, +the doors were round-topped and built of solid hewed timbers, with +wooden hinges, wooden latches. When I first saw the old ruins it had a +belfry on the top of it with a rounded topped opening in it the same as +the doors below. This church was built on the plan of a fort. When it +was originally built it was the storage place for all kinds of +ammunition, Roman spears, shields, breast plates, guns, powder, +ammunition of every kind and character, used by Roman Catholics for war, +and was probably built by the Aztec Indians who were; under the control +of the Spaniards. It was said to be 300 years old when I saw it 53 years +ago. It was a two-story structure, built of adobe, or sun-dried brick. +The floors of the building were built of some kind of concrete and were +hard and glossy. The upper floor was built of eight by ten timbers laid +solidly together with a crease in the crack of each timber--dovetailed-- +the cracks in the timbers fitted so closely together that the creases +did not show. The under part of the floor, that part which was exposed +as ceiling for the lower room was lavishly hand carved. This carving was +said to have been done by the Indians. There was carved in some places, +Indian squaws with their papooses on their backs, heads of big braves, +mooses, bow and arrows, fish, deer, antelope, horses, lizards and almost +everything imagined was carved in this timber. Those parts not exposed +directly to the elements were in a good state of preservation, while +those pieces exposed to the weather were brittle and would crumble like +chalk. + +[Illustration: THE PECOS CHURCH.] + +In the picture of the Pecos church you will note the pieces of fallen +timbers. Kosloski was a Polish ranchman whose ranch was traversed by the +Old Trail. This was a very picturesque ranch at the foot of the +Glorietta Mountains, half mile from the ruins of the old Pecos Church. +He bought the ruins of this once famous temple and built stable, for his +horses and cattle. Kosloski's ranch had at one time been a famous eating +station, noted for its profusion of fine mountain trout caught from the +Rio Pecos River which ran near the cabin. On this famous ranch four +miles east of the Pecos River, the Texas Rangers fought their fight with +the Union soldiers and were whipped. Gone are those old days, gone are +the old people, gone are the bones of the soldiers which have bleached +upon the ruins of the Old Trail. Silence reigns supremely over the once +famous ranch, broken occasionally by the screams of the locomotives as +they whiz by on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, puffing, +screeching and rumbling up the steep grades of the Glorietta Mountains. + +W. H. RYUS. + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Second William Penn, by William H. Ryus + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECOND WILLIAM PENN *** + +***** This file should be named 9805.txt or 9805.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/9/8/0/9805/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Second William Penn + A true account of incidents that happened along the + old Santa Fe Trail + +Author: William H. Ryus + +Release Date: February, 2006 [EBook #9805] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on October 19, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECOND WILLIAM PENN *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +THE SECOND WILLIAM PENN + +A true account of incidents that happened along the old Santa Fe Trail +in the Sixties. + +BY W.H. RYUS + + +1913 + + + +PREFACE + +By Col. Milton Moore + +[Illustration: COL. MILTON MOORE.] + +You who take the trouble to read these reminiscences of the Santa Fe +Trail may be curious to know how much of them are literally true. + +The writer of this preface was intimately acquainted with the author of +this book, and knows that he has not yielded to temptation to draw upon +his imagination for the incidents related herein, but has adhered +strictly to the truth. Truth is, sometimes, "stranger than fiction," and +is an indispensable requisite to accurate history, yet it may sometime +destroy the charm of fiction. + +The author of this book had a real and exceptional knowledge of Indian +character and Indian traits, and his genuine tact in trading and +treating with them, and the success which he had in sustaining friendly +relations with them was one of the wonders of the West, and was a +circumstance of much comment by those who had occasion to use the +Santa Fe Trail. + +It is small wonder, then, that "Little Billy of the Stage Coach" won for +himself the title of the "Second William Penn." + +In the early Sixties, the region through which the Old Trail passed was +an unexplored territory where constant struggles for supremacy between +the Wild Red Man and the hardy White man were carried on. + +Many and tragical were the hardships endured by those who attempted to +open up this famous highway and establish a line of communication +between the East and the West. The only method of travel was by odd +freight caravans drawn by oxen or the old-fashioned, lumbering +uncomfortable Concord Stage Coaches drawn by five mules. + +The stage coach carried besides its passengers the United States mail +and express. + +An escort of United States militia often accompanied the stage coach in +order to protect it against attacks of the Indians at that time when the +plains were invested with the Arapahoes, Comanches, Cheyennes, Kiowas +and other tribes, some of whom were on the warpath, bedecked in war +paint and feathers. + +The Indians were often in search of something to satisfy their hunger, +rather than the scalps of the white men. The author of this book won +their confidence and friendship by dividing with them his rations, and +showing them that he was willing to compensate them for the privilege of +traveling through their country. He had so many friendly conferences and +made so many treaties with them while on his trips across the plains +that he came to be called the "Second William Penn." + +He came into personal contact with the famous chiefs of the Indian +tribes, and won their good will to such an extent that their behavior +toward him and his passengers was always most excellent. + +The author has, in these pages, told of many encounters between the +whites and the Indians that were narrated to him by the Indians. He +holds the Indians blameless for many of the attacks attributed to them, +and calls attention to the Chivington Massacre and the Massacre of the +Nine Mile Ridge, related in the following pages. + +He begs the readers not to censure too severely the Indian who simply +pleaded for food with which to satisfy his hunger, and sought to protect +his wigwam from the murderous attacks of unscrupulous white men. + +I gladly recommend this tale as sound reading to all who desire to know +the truth concerning the incidents which actually occurred along the Old +Trail, and the real friendly relations which existed between the Indians +and the white men, such as our Author and Kit Carson, who were well +acquainted with their motives and characteristics. + +Respectfully submitted, + +MILTON MOORE. + + +"Bathe now in the stream before you, Wash the war-paint from your faces, +Wash the blood-stain from your fingers, Bury your war-clubs and your +weapons, Break the red stone from this quarry, Mould and make it into +Peace Pipes, Take the reeds that grow beside you, Deck them with your +brightest feathers, Smoke the calumet together, And as brothers live +henceforward." + +(Hiawatha.) + + + + +REMINISCENCE OF THE OLD SANTA FE TRAIL. + +BY W. H. RYUS, MAIL AND EXPRESS MESSENGER AND CONDUCTOR. + +Introductory + +W. H. Ryus, better known as "the Second William Penn" by passengers and +old settlers along the line of the Old Santa Fe Trail because of his +rare and exceptional knowledge of Indian traits and characteristics and +his ability to trade and treat with them so tactfully, was one of the +boy drivers of the stage coach that crossed the plains while the West +was still looked upon as "wild and wooly," and in reality was fraught +with numerous, and oftentimes, murderous dangers. + +At the time this story is being recalled, our author is in his +seventy-fourth year, but with a mind as translucent as a sea of glass, +he recalls vividly many incidents growing out of his travels over the +Santa Fe Trail. + +Having the same powers of appreciation we all possess, for confidences +reposed in him, he lovingly recalls how his passengers would press him +to know whether he would be the driver or conductor to drive the coach +on their return. Some of these passengers declare that it was really +beautiful to see the adoration many Indians heaped upon the driver, +"Little Billy of the Stage Coach," and they understood from the +overtures of the Indians toward "Billy" that they were safe in his +coach, as long as they remained passive to his instructions, which were +that they allow him to deal with whatever red men they chanced to meet. + +Sometimes a band of Indians would follow his coach for miles, protecting +their favorite, as it were, from dangers that might assail him. They +were always peaceable and friendly toward Billy in exchange for his +hospitality and kindness. It was a by-word from Kansas City to Santa Fe +that "Billy" was one boy driver and conductor who gave the Indians +something more than abuse to relate to their squaws around their wigwam +campfires. + +The dangerous route was the Long Route, from Fort Larned, Kansas, to +Fort Lyon, Colorado, the distance was two hundred and forty miles with +no stations between. On this route we used two sets of drivers. This +gave one driver a chance to rest a week to recuperate from his long trip +across the "Long Route." A great many of the drivers had nothing but +abuse for the Indians because they were afraid of them. This made the +Indians feel, when they met, that the driver considered him a mortal +foe. However, our author says that had the drivers taken time and +trouble to have made a study of the habits of the Indians, as he had +done, that they could have just as easily aroused their confidence and +secured this Indian protection which he enjoyed. + +It was a hard matter to keep these long route drivers because of the +unfriendliness that existed between them and the Indians, yet the Old +Stage Company realized a secureness in Billy Ryus, and knew he would +linger on in their employ, bravely facing the dangers feared by the +other drivers and conductors until such a time as they could employ +other men to take his place. + +Within the pages of this book W. Ryus Stanton relates many amusing and +interesting anecdotes which occurred on his stage among his passengers. +From passengers who always wanted to return on his coach he always +parted with a lingering hope that he would be the driver (or conductor, +as the case might be) who would return them safely to their destination. +Passengers were many times "tender-footed," as the Texas Rangers call +the Easterners. Billy soothingly replied to all questions of fear, +soothingly, with ingenuity and policy. + +Within Billy's coach there was carried, what seemed to most passengers, +a superfluity of provision. It was his fixed theory that to feed an +Indian was better than to fight one. He showed his passengers the need +of surplus foods, if he had an idea he would be visited by his Red +Friends, who may have been his foes, but for his cunning in devising +entertainment and hospitality for them. The menus of these luncheons +consisted chiefly of buffalo sausage, bacon, venison, coffee and canned +fruits. He carried the sausage in huge ten-gallon camp kettles. + +The palace coaches that cross the old trail today pulled by the +smoke-choked engines of the A.T. & Santa Fe R.R. carry no provision for +yelling Comanches, Cheyennes, Arapahoes, etc. They lose no time treating +and trading with the Indians, and are never out of sight of the +miraculous changes exhibited by the advanced hand of civilization. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +In 1861 He Starts as Mail Driver. + +In the spring of 1861 I went home to Burlingame, Kansas, and went to +work on the farm of O.J. Niles. I had just turned the corner of +twenty-one summers, and I felt that life should have a "turning point" +somewhere, so I took down with the ague. This very ague chanced to be +the "turning point" I was looking for and is herewith related. + +Mr. Veil of the firm of Barnum, Veil & Vickeroy, who had the mail +contract from Kansas City, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, stopped +over at Burlingame, Kansas, and there met Mr. Niles, the man for whom I +was working. Mr. Veil told Mr. Niles that he wanted a farmer boy to +drive on the Long Route because the stage drivers he had were cowards +and not satisfactory. Niles told him that he had a farm hand, but, he +added, "he won't go, because he has the ague." "Oh, well," Mr. Veil +replied, "that's no matter, I know how to cure him; I'll tell him how to +cure himself." So they sent for me, and Veil told me how to get rid of +the ague. He said, "you dig a ditch in the ground a foot deep, and strip +off your clothing and bury yourself, leaving only your head uncovered, +and sleep all night in the Mother Earth." I did it. I found the earth +perfectly dry and warm. I had not much more than engulfed myself when +the influences of the dry soil began to draw all the poison out of my +body, and I had, as I most firmly believe, the most peaceful and +delightful slumber I had ever experienced since infancy. From that day +until the present time I have never had another chill. I gained 40 +pounds of flesh in the next three months. I have known consumption to be +cured with the same "ague cure" on the plains. + +The distance from Kansas City to Fort Larned, Kansas, is three hundred +miles. The distance from Fort Larned to Fort Lyon, New Mexico, is two +hundred and forty miles, and from Fort Lyon to Fort Union it is one +hundred and eighty miles, from Fort Union to Santa Fe it is one hundred +and eighty miles, making nine hundred miles for the entire trip. + +The drive from Fort Larned, Kansas, to Fort Lyon, Colorado, was known as +the Long Route, being 240 miles, with no stations between; but across +that treacherous plain of the Santa Fe Trail I made the trip sixty-five +times in four years, driving one set of mules the entire distance, +camping out and sleeping on the ground. + +The trips were made with five mules to each coach, and we took two mules +with us to supply the place of any mule that happened to get sick. +Sometimes, strange to note, going on the down grade from Fort Lyon to +Fort Larned we would have a sick mule, but this never occurred on the +up-grade to Fort Lyon. When a mule was sick we left it at Little Coon or +Big Coon Creek. Little Coon Creek is forty miles from Fort Larned. When +Fort Larned was my headquarters I always went after my sick mules, if I +had any, the next day and brought them in. Fort Larned was the regular +built fort with a thousand soldiers, a settlers' store, and the Stage +Company's station with its large corral of mules and horses; it was the +headquarters of the Long Route to furnish the whole route to Santa Fe. +If the sick mules happened to be at Little Coon Creek, the round trip +would be eighty miles, and it would sometimes take me and my little race +pony several days to make the trip, owing of course to the condition of +the sick mule and its ability to travel. Camping out on these trips, I +used my saddle for a pillow while my spread upon the ground served as my +bed. I would tie the lariat to the saddle so the pony would graze and +not get too far away from our "stomping ground." If the wolves came +around, which they often did, the pony would come whinnying to me, stamp +on the ground and wake me up. I usually scared them away by shooting +over their heads. + +When we had several passengers, and wished to make time, we took two +coaches with two drivers and one conductor who had charge over the two +coaches. There was the baggage of several passengers to carry, bedding +for ourselves, provision for the whole crew and feed for the mules. We +usually made from fifty to sixty miles a day, owing to the condition of +the road and weather. + +Sometimes coyotes and mountain wolves would molest us. The mountain wolf +is about as large as a young calf, and at times they are very dangerous +and blood-thirsty. At one time when my brother, C.W. Ryus, was with me +and we were going into Fort Larned with a sick mule, five of those large +and vicious mountain wolves suddenly appeared as we were driving along +the road. They stood until we got within a hundred feet of them. I +cracked my whip and we shot over their heads. They parted, three going +on one side of the road and two on the other. They went a short distance +and turned around and faced us. We thought we were in for a battle, and +again we fired over their heads, and, greatly to our satisfaction and +peace of mind, they fled. We were glad to be left alone and were willing +to leave them unharmed. Had we used our guns to draw blood it is +possible that they would have given chase and devoured us. We would not +have been in the least alarmed had we advanced upon five Indians, for we +would have invited them to join us and go to the station with us and get +something to eat. Not so with the wolves, they might have exacted our +bodies before they were satisfied with the repast. + +I was never afraid of Indians, so hardly ever took an escort. My +greatest fear was that some white man would get frightened at the sight +of the reds and kill one of their band, and I knew if that should happen +we were in grave danger. I always tried to impress my passengers that to +protect ourselves we must guard against the desire to shoot an Indian. +Not knowing how to handle an Indian would work chaos among us. The +Indians did not like the idea of the white race being afraid of +them--the trains amassing themselves together seemed to mean to the +Indian that they were preparing for battle against them, and that made +them feel like "preparing for war in time of peace." + +At one time on my route I remember as we were passing Fort Dodge, +Kansas, a fort on the Arkansas River, there was a caravan of wagons +having trouble with the Indians. I had an escort of some ten or fifteen +soldiers, but we passed through the fray with no trouble or +hair-splitting excitement. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +The Nine Mile Ridge Massacre. + +During the coldest time in winter, in the month of January, 1863, nine +freight wagons left Santa Fe, New Mexico, on their way East. A few miles +before they reached the Nine Mile Ridge they encountered a band of +almost famished Indians, who hailed with delight the freight wagons, +thinking they could get some coffee and other provision. In this lonely +part of the world, seventy-five miles from Fort Larned, Kansas, and a +hundred and sixty-five miles from Fort Lyon, without even a settler +between, it was uncomfortable to even an Indian to find himself +without rations. + +The Nine Mile Ridge was a high elevation above the Arkansas River road +running close to the river, on top of the ridge. The Indians followed +the wagons several miles, imploring the wagon boss to give them +something to eat and drink, which request he steadily refused in no +uncertain voice. When it was known by the red men that the wagon boss +was refusing their prayers for subsistence they knew of no other method +to enforce division other than to take it from the wagons. + +The leader of the band went around to the head of the oxen and demanded +them to corral, stop and give them some provision. During the corraling +of the train one wagon was tipped partly over and the teamster shot an +Indian in his fright. Then the Indians picked up their wounded warrior, +placed him on a horse and left the camp, determined to return and take +an Indian's revenge upon the caravan. The wagon boss went into camp well +satisfied--but not long was his satisfaction to last. + +After the Indians departed several teamsters who thought they knew what +was desired by the Indians reproached their wagon-boss for not having +complied with their request to give them food. His action in refusing +food resulted in a mutiny on the part of the teamsters, and after the +oxen were turned out to graze, the dispute between the teamsters and the +wagon-boss became so turbulent that if a few peaceably inclined drivers +had not arraigned themselves on the side of the wagon-boss he would have +been lynched. + +Before daylight the Indians returned and attacked the wagons and killed +all the whites but one man who escaped down the bank into the river. He +floated down until he was out of hearing of the Indians. When he was +almost worn out and half frozen he got out of the river, wrung the water +from his clothing and started for Fort Larned, seventy-five miles +distant. After leaving the water he noticed a fire, and knew +instinctively that the Indians had set fire to their wagons, and +wondered how many, if any, of the company had escaped as he had so +far done. + +Late in the afternoon of the next day a troop of soldiers discovered +this man several miles from Fort Larned in an almost exhausted +condition, dropping down and getting up again. The commanding officer +sent out some soldiers and brought him to the fort. I talked with this +man, and he told me that if the wagon-boss had given the Indians +something to eat, entertained them a little, or given them the smallest +hospitality, he believed they would all have been saved from +that massacre. + +He said the Indians plead with the wagon-boss for food, and he thought +if the teamster had not lost his equanimity and made that first luckless +shot the massacre of the Nine Mile Ridge would never have become a thing +of history. + +This tragedy created a great fright and made traveling across the plains +difficult. The Indians were hostile only because they did not know the +minds of the white men, and what their attitude toward them would be, if +they were not always prepared to defend themselves. Therefore the people +traveling on the plains in trains amassed themselves together for +protection, and the people at Fort Larned with their soldiers were very +much wrought up over the atrocious murders and the destruction of +property all along the whole Western frontier. In time of war one false +step may cause the death of hundreds. In this case the commanding +officer of the fort took the precaution to send out runners to call the +Indians together to the fort, in order to learn, if possible, the cause +of this fearful massacre and to get their statement concerning +their action. + +The two Indians who came in verified the statement of the ox-driver, and +declared that if the teamster had not killed their inoffensive warrior +who only asked for something to eat there would have been no trouble at +all from them. + +In defense of the Indian I will say that the people in general were all +the time seeking to abuse him. In almost all instances where I have read +of Indian troubles I have noticed that at all times it grew out of the +fact that the whites invariably raised the trouble and were always the +aggressors. Nevertheless, newspaper reports and any other report for +that matter, laid the blame at the door of the wigwam of the red man of +the forest. + +It is my opinion that most of the trouble on the frontier was uncalled +for. The white man learned to fear the Indians always, when there was no +attempt on the part of the Indian to do him harm. Many times while I was +crossing the plains have bands of from thirty to forty Indians or more +come to us, catching up with us or passing us by. Had I not understood +them and their intentions as well as I did we would more than likely +have had trouble with them or have suffered severe inconvenience. We +never thought of fear when they were going along the road, and many +times I would call them when I would camp for meals to come and get a +cup of coffee. They would go back with us to camp. We did not care what +their number was, we would always divide our provisions with them. If +there were a large number of Indians, and our provisions were scarce, I +would tell them so, but also tell them that notwithstanding that fact I +still had some for them. Then if they only got a few sups of coffee +around and a little piece of bread they were always profoundly grateful +and satisfied that we had done our best. + +In order to let them know we were scarce of bread, etc., I would say, +"poka te keta pan;" in the Mexican language that is interpreted "very +little bread." Bread, in the Mexican or Indian language, is "pan," and +when they understood they would say "si," which is interpreted "yes." +They showed us their appreciation for the little they received just as +though we had given them a whole loaf of bread apiece. + +If we only had a few cups of coffee and had seventy or eighty Indian +guests we would give it to one of the Indians and he would divide it +equally among his number. He would place the cup so it would contain an +equal amount of the coffee. Then one of the Indians would get up from +the ground (they always sit on the ground grouped all about us when they +ate with us) and take the cups and hand them around to every fifth man, +or such a one as would make it average to every cup of coffee they had. +The Indians would break the bread and give to each one, according to +what his share equally divided would be. When they come to drink their +coffee every Indian who had a cup would raise it to their lips at once, +take a swallow of the beverage, then pass the cup on to the next one. +They did the bread the same way. After finishing their repast they +invariably thanked us profusely in their Indian style for what they had +been given. There were times when I had plenty of provisions to give +them all they needed or required to satisfy their hunger. At no time was +my coach surrounded with hostile intent without departing from it in +friendliness. At the same time I knew they had some great grievances. + +[Illustration: The First William Penn, in 1670, Treating with the +Indians. + +This picture is placed in the book for the purpose of drawing attention +to the methods employed by the First William Penn in connection with the +same methods employed by the Second William Penn to successful treaty +with the Indians. His friendliness overcame any hostilities which they +might have previously had.] + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Ryus' Coach Is Surrounded by Indians, Their Animosities are Turned to +Friendliness, Through Ryus' Wit and Ingenuity--"Hail the Second William +Penn." + +At one time in the year of 1864 when I arrived in Fort Larned on my way +from Kansas City, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, there was a great +scare, and a commanding officer, Colonel Ford, told me that they +expected a raid on them most any time from Indians. + +In July of that year the Cheyennes, Kiowas, Arapahoes and some Comanche +and Hickory Apaches were camped a mile north of Fort Larned. The +commanding officer of the fort told me he could only let me have about +thirty soldiers for an escort. I told him that if we should have trouble +with the Indians thirty soldiers would be just as good as a thousand, +and that I had rather take my chances with thirty soldiers than more. + +We left Fort Larned a little before noon and arrived at Big Coon Creek, +twenty-two miles from Fort Larned, where we stopped for supper at about +four o'clock in the afternoon. A lieutenant of my escort in charge of +the soldiers put out a guard. While we were eating supper the guards +shot off their guns and came rushing into camp with news that a thousand +or more Indians were hidden along the banks of Coon Creek. The +lieutenant placed double guard and came out to me and gravely suggested +that we go back to Fort Larned and get more soldiers before attempting +to cross farther into the Great Divide. + +I told the lieutenant to take his soldiers and go back to Fort Larned +and I would go on. He asked me why I did not go alone in the first +place. I told him that I needed him NOW, and he asked me how that was, I +told him that if he would take his soldiers and go back to Fort Larned +the Indians would follow him and let me alone. He said he would go with +me. We finished our dinner and I went to the soldiers' wagons and got +two big armfuls of bread, about sixty pounds of bacon and a large bucket +of coffee. I took them down to our camp, spread a newspaper upon the +ground, laid the bacon, bread and coffee on the spread, placed a handful +of matches near the bread, then went to our own mess and took several +cans of coffee and bread from it, left them one of our buckets and an +extra coffee pot that I carried with me, and got a large camp kettle +from the soldiers and left it for the Indians. Then I gathered a few +more buffalo chips and placed on the fire to keep it from going out, and +my plan was complete. + +I told the lieutenant to take his soldiers and drive on over the hill +just out of sight and to stop there. I sent one of my coaches ahead and +all of my passengers got into that coach. I told my driver to go up to +the top of the hill and stop the mules there, but to keep in sight of +me. I had my coach driven up the road about 100 yards, and on looking up +the creek I saw one Indian in war paint and feathers looking around the +bluff at me. That was the only one of their band I could see, so I got +up on top of my coach and motioned for him to come to me. + +[Illustration: "Billy of the Stage Coach," Treating with the Indians.] + +Two Indians came up to within 100 feet of me, stopped and looked all +around. (Indians are very cautious that they do not get caught in a +trap). They rode up closer, looking intently at me all the time and +talking to each other. I motioned with both hands while I was standing +on top of the coach to come and I made them understand that I was +friendly. They answered by Indian signs, then gave a big yell,--an +Indian whoop--that liked to have froze the blood in the veins of the +passengers. They gave this whoop three times, and in an instant, it +seemed to me, five or six hundred Indians came down and formed in a line +about the coach on top of which I stood. I bowed to them and pointed to +the supper I had prepared for them. "They came, they saw, and were +conquered." They bowed to me in their Indian language and signs +expressing their gratitude for this hospitality. One old Indian came +forward, laid his bow and arrow and spears upon the ground (the Indian +sign of peace) and motioned for me to come and eat with them. I motioned +to them that I must go on, so they said good-bye. When I got to the top +of the hill I had my coach brought to a standstill. I slapped my hands +together and again motioned them good-bye. All at once these Indians +raised their hands and bade me good-bye, saluting me. These Indians were +fierce looking creatures in their war-paint and with their spears, which +they do not carry unless they expect trouble. That was the last time I +saw those Indians on that trip. + +We had no other excitement on our way to Fort Lyons, unless the +encounter with the buffalo herds could be so called. A large herd of +buffalo were grazing on the plains and was not an unusual sight for the +drivers and me. However, when we came in sight of them one passenger +cried out, "Stop the coach, stop the coach; see, there are a thousand +buffalo standing belly deep in the lake." "Oh," I said, "you do not see +any water--that isn't a lake." "What?" one said, "do our eyes really +deceive us out here on these infernal plains? If it is not water and a +lake those buffalo are standing in, what in the name of sense is it?" I +told them that what they saw was nothing more than merely buffalo at a +distance on the plain; that what they saw that resembled water was +simply an optical illusion, called the "mirage." Webster describes the +word as follows: "An optical illusion arising from an unequal refraction +in the lower strata of the atmosphere and causing remote objects to be +seen double, as if reflected in a mirror, or to appear as if suspended +in the air. It is frequently seen in the deserts, presenting the +appearance of water. The Fata Morgana and Looming are species of +mirage." The mirage is one of the most beautiful scenes I ever beheld +and can only be seen on the plains or in deserts in its complete beauty. +It has to be seen to be appreciated. It makes a buffalo look like it had +two tails. Everything looks double. + +We had not much sooner spied the buffalo than they spied us and they +started on the run across the road ahead of us. We were compelled to +wait a half an hour until they had crossed the road. We passed ox trains +every day or so going to and from New Mexico. In a few days we were in +Fort Lyon, where we separated from the passengers, and we drivers would +take the incoming coach and its passengers and drive back along the +Long Route. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +The Chivington Massacre. + +There was a station on the Union Pacific Road called Kit Carson; near +this station is a place called Sand Creek. It was at the latter named +place where Major John L. Chivington made his bloody raid. + +In the summer of 1864 the combined Indian tribe went on the warpath. +They were camped north of Fort Larned, garrisoned with Kansas troops and +a section of a Wisconsin battery in charge of Lieutenant Croker, and +Captain Ried was the commanding officer. The Indians first commenced war +at Fort Larned and ran off some horses, beef cattle and some milch cows +that were the property of James Brice. + +At the time Chivington made this raid there was camped at Sand Creek +about one hundred and fifty lodges of women, children and a few decrepit +Indians. This was one of the most brutal massacres a white man was ever +known to have commanded. With some sixty soldiers he said he would go +and "clean 'em up." He got there at daybreak and began to fire on the +Indians and killed a great many women and children. He burned several +lodges, confiscated their provisions, blankets and other supplies. The +Indian braves who were able to fight had some poisoned arrows which they +used advantageously. Every soldier they hit was either seriously injured +or killed. Up in the day the Indians got reinforcements and gave +Chivington's raiders quite a chase. These Indians were left entirely +destitute, for Chivington had seized all the supplies and either loaded +them into his wagons or destroyed them by fire. For that reason the +surviving Indians commenced depredations on the stock and other property +of settlers at Fort Larned. + +It is said, but as to the truthfulness of the assertion I do not vouch, +for it did not happen under my personal knowledge--that a man by the +name of McGee, who was a teamster on a train loaded with flour for the +Government, was captured not far from there and was scalped and left for +dead; that the Eastern mail happening to come along shortly after, found +the body and placed it upon the boot of the coach; that before arriving +at Fort Larned they found that instead of carrying a corpse, as it was +at first supposed, they carried a living man. This man was taken to a +hospital and got well. He raised a family of children and his sons, some +of them live in or around Independence, Missouri. This man, Mr. McGee, +is said to be the only scalped man in the United States who lived after +being scalped. + +After this brutal crime against the Indians, trouble commenced on the +Santa Fe Trail, and the sight of a "pale face" brought memories of the +assassination of their tribe by Chivington and his raiders. + +At this Indian lodge where the Chivington massacre occurred lived the +father-in-law of John Powers. He was known the plains over as a +peaceable old Indian (Old One Eye), the chief of the Cheyennes, but his +"light was put out" during this desperate fight with Chivington. + +Right here I will give an account of the marriage of John Powers to the +daughter of "Old One Eye." + +Mr. Powers had crossed the plains several times as wagon-boss for +Colonel Charles Bent, who was the builder of Bent's Fort, also the new +fort at Fort Lyons. He was also wagon boss for Mr. Winsor, the settler +at Fort Lyon at the time of his marriage to the daughter of the +old chief. + +Mr. Powers' mother, Mrs. Fogel, and his stepfather received the news of +Powers' marriage with many misgivings and rebuked him severely for +having made such a choice, finally vowing that they disowned him and +never wanted to see him again. With a finality not at all disconsolate +John Powers set about to polish his Indian wife for the polite society +of his mother, so he sent her to school, chaperoned by Miss Mollie Bent. + +At the school at West Port this Indian girl soon excelled and under the +careful management of Miss Bent the wife of John Powers soon became an +expert in domestic science. But Powers, getting impatient for a meeting +between his mother and wife, asked Mollie Bent to arrange it. So +accordingly Miss Mollie visited at the home of her friends, the Fogels, +and during the gossip Miss Bent casually remarked to Mrs. Fogel that she +had a most charming friend, an Indian maid, over at the school whom she +would like to introduce to her. + +When Mrs. Fogel insisted upon her coming over the following Saturday, +bringing with her her friend, Mollie Bent's heart was little less glad +than John Powers. + +At last the eventful day had arrived. Mollie, accompanied with John's +"Indian squaw," went to the home of Mrs. Fogel. The high-spiritedness of +the Indian maid soon captivated Mrs. Fogel. After they had eaten supper +Mrs. Fogel was ordered to go to the front porch and entertain her other +visitor, Miss Mollie Bent, while she (Mrs. John Powers) did up the +kitchen work and cleared up the dining room. Mrs. Fogel did so with +reluctance, wondering greatly just how a real Indian would do up her +greatly "civilized" kitchen work. But she did not wonder long, for very +soon, indeed, the daughter of "Old One Eye" came to inquire of her host +where to place the dishes and how to arrange the dining room. + +Mrs. Fogel was as pleased as she was surprised at the neatness and +despatch with which the work had been done and told her daughter-in-law +so, little knowing that she was dealing with her own son's wife. Each +Saturday after this John Powers' wife visited at the home of her +mother-in-law and learned many things from Mrs. Fogel that only endeared +her more to the Fogel family. Swiftness and despatch is one of the +Indian characteristics. + +Early in the spring of 1863 Colonel Bent sold John Powers his train of +nine wagons for $10,000. Powers then started to the states in February +to load up. He loaded with corn to be taken to Fort Union, New Mexico, +for the Government. With his two original wagons his trip netted him +$10,000. He immediately returned to the states to make his second trip +and to visit his wife and Miss Mollie Bent in Kansas City, Missouri. His +mother did not know he was there. When he arrived in Kansas City from +his second trip he decided to put his "spurs" on, so to speak, so he +bought him a fine carriage, a team of prancing horses, and went like a +"Prince of Plenty" to the home of his mother. + +It had already been planned that Hiawatha One Eye Powers, that is, Mrs. +John Powers, would be ensconced at the home of Mrs. Fogel, his mother. +Mollie Bent was there, and girl like, was delighted over the romance +being enacted under that roof. The heart of the Indian maid was beating +a happy tattoo under her civilian dress. + +A cloud of dust up the road announced that John was now near the +parental roost. Mrs. Fogel with her motherly solicitude was awaiting him +with happy tears dimming her eyes. She took in with all a mother's +fondness his high-stepping prancers, his prosperous appearance, last but +not least the entire absence of the Indian daughter-in-law. + +When the greeting of mother and son was over they went into the house +where Mrs. Fogel introduced her Indian friend, remarking as she did so +that she was a rare and exquisite wild flower of the plains. +Consternation and surprise chased themselves over Mrs. Fogel's features +when she, turning, beheld her protege pressed upon her son's breast. +With eyes ablaze with happy lights he led her to his mother, saying, +"Mother, I now introduce you to my wife." + +When Mrs. Fogel had recovered from the surprise which accompanied the +shock of this disclosure she seized the girl in her motherly arms, and +if ever a girl got a "hugging" Hiawatha got one from an ACTUAL +mother-in-law. + +Mollie Bent was hysterical, laughing and crying at the same time. + +When John Powers had loaded his train he took back with him his wife and +her friend, Miss Mollie Bent, as far as Fort Lyon. Fifteen years after +this incident I met John Powers in Topeka, Kansas. He looked at me a +long time and I returned his stare. Finally he said, "Ho, there, ain't +your name Billy, the boy who used to get along with the Indians so well, +cuss your soul?" I told him that I was, and he said, "I'm right glad to +see you again, Billy." I asked him if he wasn't John Powers, and he told +me he was. Then I asked him his business in Topeka, and he told me he +had just brought his two daughters to Bethany College at Topeka, Kansas. + +Mr. Powers was at that time badly afflicted with cancer of the tongue, +and he told me that he hadn't long to live. He also told me that he had +bought the Old Arcadia Indian Camp on the Picketwaire River (Picketwaire +means River of Lost Souls or Purgatory to the Indians). The camp is +between Fort Lyons and Bent's Old Fort on the opposite of the river. +Some of the land at that time was rated at $50 per acre and is now, most +of it, worth $100 per acre. His rating at the time of death in Dun & +Bradstreet's Commercial Report was four million dollars. That was the +last time I ever saw him. + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Barnum, Veil and Vickeroy Go a Journeying With Barlow and +Sanderson.--Vickeroy Is Branded "U.S.M." + +In the fall of 1863 I quit the Long Route and went up on what is known +as the Denver Branch, driving from Bent's Old Fort, Colorado, to +Boonville, Colorado. On my last drive across the Long Route I had a +party of "dead heads." They were the "bosses"--owners of the Stage Coach +Company Line. That is, Barnum, Veil and Vickeroy were, and Barlow and +Sanderson were going over the trip with these fellows with a view of +buying out the interest of Vickeroy. There were three more passengers, +all on fun intent. + +All of these fellows were, we will call it for lack of a better word, +"on a toot" and having lots of fun. They had poked so much fun at +Vickeroy that they finally got the best of him. Vickeroy enlisted the +three passengers on his side and sought an opportunity to "turn the +tables," so they made it up to brand Barlow and Sanderson with the +branding iron that was used to brand the company's mules. This iron had +the letters U.S.M. (United States Mail) on it. When I placed the frying +pan on the fire and it commenced to "siz," Vickeroy and two of the +passengers stood Barlow on his head and told him they were going to use +the branding iron. Barlow thought the branding iron was surely going to +be used upon the seat of his pants, but the accommodating Vickeroy had +the frying pan used instead. He gave the victim three taps on the seat +of his pants with the hot frying pan, one tap for "U," one for "S" and +the other for "M," then slapped him soundly and said, "Go, Mr. Mule, +when the Indians find you they will take you to the station because your +brand shows you to be the 'United States Male.'" Barlow's howls and +Vickeroy's laughter made those old plains resound with noises which may +have caused the spooks to walk that night. They were having lots of fun +about the "branded 'incoming' mule," or the new member of the company +that might be. All went smoothly a few days, but Vickeroy would +occasionally ask us how long they thought it would take a brand to wear +off so people could not know their "mule." + +"Every dog has its day," and the day for Barlow's revenge was slowly but +surely coming. The second day after the episode described I had the +frying pan over the red hot coals fairly sizzling with a white heat +ready to place my buffalo steak onto it, but Barlow told me to "wait a +minute" and he said he "would attend to that skillet." I saw something +was in the air, so I took a back seat and awaited events. + +About the time Vickeroy was unraveling some big yarn, all unconscious of +the designs Barlow had upon him, Veil and Sanderson grabbed him and had +quite a tussle with him to get him in a position to apply the branding +iron. The imprint left on the seat of Vickeroy's pants was not U.S.M. +this time, it was burned and scorched flesh, for lo, the tussle with his +determined tormentors had lasted too long,--the frying pan had gotten +too hot for good branding purposes, and for the comfort of the branded +one's hams. + +When Mr. Barlow saw the condition of Mr. Vickeroy's clothing, he was +full of apologies, but the passengers would hear nothing of them, saying +that it was always bad for unruly mules when they got to kicking, and +Vickeroy would have to swallow his chagrin. The windup was a new "seat" +installed and a cushion for the "kicking mule." + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Colonel Boone Gets Judge Wright's Enmity. Lincoln Appoints Col. A.G. +Boone Indian Agent. Arrangements Are Made With Commissioners For Indian +Annuities. Mr. Haynes Sends Troops to Burn Out Colonel Boone. + +Driving from Bent's Old Fort to Boonville, Colorado, was usually a +pleasant drive for me. After I quit the Long Route and took up the +Denver Branch, I made my home with Colonel A.G. Boone, who is a great +great grandson of the immortal Daniel Boone. + +President Lincoln was inaugurated in March, 1860, he saw Major Filmore +of Denver, Colorado, paymaster of the army, who was in Washington during +the last of March after the inauguration. He asked him if he knew of a +good man, capable of going among the Indians to make treaties with them, +so that transportation could cross the plains without escorts. Major +Filmore told the President that he knew Colonel A.G. Boone to be a +fearless man, that he was not only fearless, competent and capable, but +that no other man could do the work as efficiently as Colonel Boone, +because the Indians were so friendly disposed toward him. Lincoln said: +"Major, I wish you would see this Colonel for me, immediately. Give him +funds to come to Washington at once, for I want to have a consultation +with him on this 'Indian question.'" + +Colonel Boone went to Washington, as arranged, and gave President +Lincoln his views on the subject under consideration. Colonel Boone, in +company with the President of the United States, went to the Board of +the Indian Commissioners. After talking over the various ways of +handling Indians, and giving his opinion of the different ways to +accomplish a safer journey across the plains without encountering +hostilities from Indians--he asked the Commissioners, and President, +what it was they particularly desired him to do? They told him that they +had sent for him to find out from him what he would do. They told him +they wanted him to sketch out how he would first proceed to such a task. +"Well," Colonel Boone replied, "do you want to give the Indians any +annuities, or what would be called annuities--quarterly annuities of +clothing, provisions, etc., and if so, how much, and so on?" The +commissioners made a rating. After considerable figuring, submitted +their figures to Boone's consideration. Upon looking the figures over, +Boone told them to cut those figures half in two. They thought they had +figured as closely as Boone would think expedient, and rather feared the +amount they had first allowed each one was too small. Colonel Boone +said: "If you figure the weight of the product you send them, you will +find it will take a good many trains to transport it yearly." Said he: +"Not only cut it in two, gentlemen, but cut it into eighths. Then +perhaps you can be sure to keep your agreement with them." + +As to agreements, Indians are still, and have always been most +particular about living up to them. Personally, I would not make an +agreement with an Indian, however trivial, that I did not mean to carry +out to the letter. They have always been with me most careful to comply +with the terms of their contracts. + +Colonel Boone was made Indian Agent, but President Lincoln told Colonel +Boone that he could not furnish him very many soldiers as escort on +account of the war. Mr. Boone told him he did not want an army, but that +he did want about three ambulances and the privilege of selecting his +own men to go with him. + +Arrangements were then made to forward to Fort Lyon blankets, beads, +Indian trinkets, flour, sugar, coffee and such other articles of +usefulness as is generally found in settlement stores or commissaries. +When Colonel Boone told President Lincoln that he did not care for an +army of soldiers for escort, the President seemed astonished, and asked +him how he dared go down the Arkansas River without a good escort. Boone +told him that it was his idea that he would be safer with three men, the +ones he selected to go with him, viz.: Tom Boggs, Colonel Saint Vraine, +Major Filmore and Colonel Bent than he would be with a thousand soldiers. + +The first thing Boone did was to send out runners to have the Indians +come in to Big Timbers, on the Arkansas River, where Fort Lyon is now +located. There Colonel Boone began his negotiations with the Indians +that opened up the Santa Fe Trail to such an extent that traveling was +less dangerous and expensive. + +In the second place, Colonel Boone and his party proceeded to Fort Lyon +and at once began negotiations with the Indians as per his contract with +the Indian Commissioners and President Abraham Lincoln. + +When they arrived at the place appointed where the agency was to be +established, there were camped about thirty thousand Indians with their +Indian provisions, buffalo meat, venison, antelope, bear and other wild +meats, and John Smith and Dick Curtis, who were the great Indian +interpreters for all the tribes. The Comanches, Kiowas, Cheyennes, +Sioux, Arapahoes, Acaddas, and other tribes, with Colonel Boone, arrived +at a complete understanding, and for about two years the Indians were +kindly disposed toward the Whites, or as long as Colonel Boone's +administration as Indian Agent existed. Any one then could cross the +plains without fear of molestation from the Indians. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Colonel Boone Acquires Squire Wright's Enmity. + +In 1861, however, Judge Wright of Indiana, a member of Congress during +Boone's administration as Indian Agent, brought his dissipated son to +Colonel Boone's. Colonel Boone told the Congressman to leave him with +him and he could clerk in the Government store and issue the Indian +annuities. + +This boy soon became a very efficient clerk, quit his drinking, and +under Colonel Boone's persuasion, developed into an honorable and +upright citizen of the United States. + +When congress adjourned, Congressman Wright came again to the Indian +Agency at Fort Lyons where he had left his son with Colonel Boone. +Finding this son so changed, so assiduous to business, so positive in +manner, so thoroughly free, as it seemed from the follies of his younger +days--follies that had warped all his best natures--due, as Judge Wright +was compelled to confess, to the timely efforts of Colonel Boone, there +sprang into the breast of Judge Wright an unquenchable flame of +jealousy. What right had Colonel Boone to hold such an influence over +this boy, the pampered and humored dissipate of this Congressman from +Indiana, when his own commands, and his mother's prayers had held no +such influence? + +It was with sadness that Judge Wright remembered the weak lad he had +left on Colonel Boone's hands, a victim of a father's lack of training, +and found here, instead, the same lad, but with much of the weakness +erased, a man now, with an ambition to do and to be. + +At sight of this miracle wrought by the cleverness of Colonel Boone, +Judge Wright rebelled. There entered his heart, a subtle fiend, a +poisoned arrow, inspired by the rescuer of his son, good, brave, Colonel +Boone. Had not this stranger entered the heart of his boy and opened up +the deep wells of his intellect, buoyed up a hope within his heart that +goodness was greatness, and opened his eyes to the pitfalls into which +he would eventually fall, if he kept on the way he was going? In fact, +Colonel Boone had sounded the message of salvation, and Wright, Jr. had +accepted its graces, and before his father stood a righteous +transformation, to the honor and glory of Colonel A. G. Boone, the tried +and true friend of the Indian. + +Again Judge Wright feels the sting of the serpent. He implored his son +to return to his parental roof, but this the boy declined to do, so +Judge Wright went at once to Colonel Boone and with many unjust and +unscrupulous epithets accused him of having alienated the affections of +his son. Colonel Boone had but to hear him out and bare his shoulders +for such other blows which Judge Wright sought to pelter him, and we +will hear with what blow he was driven from his post as Indian Agent. + + * * * * * + +At the next session of congress, Congressman Wright sought to deal his +death blow to Colonel Boone, and to thus avenge the disloyalty of his +son to his father, at no matter what cost to his own honor and +integrity. This blow he dealt the rescuer of his son, from shame and +disgrace, and who but for Colonel Boone might never have succeeded in +being sober long enough to sell a pound of bacon. In Congress Judge +Wright accused Colonel Boone of disloyalty toward the Government, +declared that he was a secessionest, and that he was robbing the +Indians, etc., and so succeeded in having him removed. To this act might +fitly be applied the old adage: "Save a man from drowning and he will +arise to cut off your head." + +After Colonel Boone was relieved by the new agent, Mr. Macauley, Majors +Waddell and Russell gave Colonel Boone a large ranch on the Arkansas +River, about fifteen miles East of Pueblo, Colorado, afterwards known as +Boonville. Waddell and Russell were the great government freight +contractors across the plains. This ranch consisted of 1,400 acres of +good land, fenced and cross fenced, having several fine buildings +thereon, and otherwise well improved. + +In the fall of 1863, about fifty influential Indians of the various +tribes, visited at the home of Colonel Boone and begged him to return +and be their agent, stating that an uprising was imminent. Colonel Boone +told the Chief that the President of the United States had ejected him +and that the President would not let him do the thing they asked him. +Then the Indians offered to sell their ponies to raise the money for him +to go to Washington to intercede with the "Great Father," to tell him of +the "doin's" of their new agent, and to get reinstated himself. When +Boone told them that it was impossible, and for them to go back and +trust to the agent to do the right thing, they were greatly +disappointed. + +Soon after Colonel Boone had installed himself in his new home on the +Arkansas River, he became the innocent victim of another man's wrath. A +certain Mr. Haynes was keeping the Stage Station and was not giving +satisfaction to the company, inasmuch as the mules seemed to be lacking +the care and attention the company thought due them. The corn sent by +the company (government) to feed the mules did not find its way to the +mule troughs. So the Stage Company began to negotiate with Colonel Boone +to take the station, and he took it. + +This arrangement angered Mr. Haynes, and he reported to a Union Soldier +that Colonel Boone was a rebel of the deepest dye, and further said that +he had a company of Texas Rangers hidden, and intended to "clean out the +country." The Lieutenant to whom this deliberate falsehood was told, +sent fifteen soldiers to the home of A.G. Boone to confiscate his +property and to burn him out if they found indications that the +report was true. + +Mr. Boone's residence was seven miles from Haynes' and the soldiers +reached Boone's place about 1:30 o'clock P.M. and their horses looked, +to a casual observer, like they had been ridden fifty miles. They were +all covered with dust which the crafty soldiers had thrown upon them and +were flecked with sweat. One soldier went forward and asked politely to +be given something to eat. + +Colonel Boone who was a whole-hearted, "hail fellow well met" sort of a +man, invited them to come in and to put their horses in the barn and to +give them one really good feed, remarking at the same time that they had +better remove their saddles and allow the horses to cool off. + +One soldier, without a first thought, began to throw his saddle off, but +was quickly prevented by a quicker witted soldier, but the action was +not quick enough. Colonel Boone had observed without appearing to do so, +the normal condition of the back of the horse, and something had flown +to his mind, that "all was not right on the Wabash," and he concluded to +keep cool. Something told him that they were agents of Mr. Haynes, and +were on mischief bent. + +After caring well for the horses, the soldiers were invited to the house +where they went to the back porch and refreshed themselves with clean +cistern water and fresh towels. While they were getting "slicked up" as +some of the soldiers jokingly called their face wash, Colonel Boone +called the old negro woman to bring a pitcher of whiskey, glasses, +sugar, nutmeg, and eggs, and make them a rich toddy. When this was done, +Colonel Boone with a lavish hand distributed it generously among his +guests, after which they were escorted through the old-fashioned long +hall to the front porch where they rested and awaited the good dinner +already in progress for them. + +Mrs. Boone was sick in bed, and one or two of the soldiers seeing some +one in bed, and more to find out who was there than anything else, +sauntered into the room and up to the bed. As soon as he saw he had made +a mistake, he quickly apologized and retreated to the front porch, +where, to cover his embarrassment, he asked how far it was to Haynes'. +Boone told him it was seven miles. + +Fearing the soldiers would become restless by their prolonged wait for +dinner, Colonel Boone went into the house and told his two daughters, +Maggie and Mollie, to help the old negro lady get dinner, and to stay in +the dining room during the dinner hour and wait on the soldiers, and be +as pleasant as possible with them. He told the girls that he was afraid +the soldiers were messengers of mischief, sent there at the suggestion +of Mr. Haynes, but that he had not decided just what they intended to +do. It was the idea of Colonel Boone to make the whiskey draw the object +of this visit to him, from his guests, and some of the more talkative +ones had already begun to divulge their business. The Colonel decided to +leave them alone so they could consult with themselves, so busied +himself about the house making his visitors comfortable wherever he +could. He stopped in the living room and listened to the conversation +going on between the soldiers out on the porch, which conversation +sometimes developed into an argument about Mr. Haynes and the +Lieutenant, the full import of which he could not glean. Then he +returned to the porch, in a round-about way, brought up the subject of +distance, from his place to Haynes. He then said: "Mr. Haynes had an +ill-feeling toward me, and I have been told that he is circulating a +report that I am a rebel, and that he intends to do me bodily harm." One +soldier was in good condition then to talk--the toddy had done its work +well--and he said: "I gad, Colonel, you ah jes' about right----;" but he +could get no further. One soldier had closed his mouth, with the remark +to Colonel Boone, that some soldiers never knew what they were talking +about, when they had enjoyed a good glass of whiskey. The Colonel +laughed as though the subject was of no importance to him and strolled +out in the yard. Just then Mollie Boone appeared at the dining room door +with a cheery smile, beguiling as the flower in her hair was fragrant, +and with a "welcome, gentlemen, to the Boone home," in her comely face, +bade them all go in to dinner. At the dinner table wit and mirth flowed +as freely as did the water down the throats of those hungry boys +in blue. + +When these boys had partaken of this bounty to their full satisfaction, +they thanked the pretty waitresses for the excellent dinner. The +daughters followed them from the dining room begging them to never pass +this way without coming in to see them, and promising to have a feast +prepared for them. They departed, the girls returning to the dining room +to peep behind curtains to watch the manly soldiers disappear around the +house, to the stables where their horses were still munching the hay, +caring nothing at all about returning to the station at Haynes'. + +The next trip I made to Bent's Fort was made without a conductor on the +stage. One of the owners of the Stage Company, Mr. J.T. Barnum, said to +me: "Billy, you go through to Denver with the express and mail, and then +act as conductor back again to the Fort." + +On my return trip, I came in contact with a company of soldiers camped +at Pueblo, Colorado. Several of the soldiers were at the Hotel at +Pueblo, and during our talk together, I asked one of the soldiers if he +knew a Sergeant by the name of Joe Graham. "Oh, yes," one man replied, +"he is down there in camp now." This soldier volunteered to bring him +to see me. + +Mr. Graham's father was a Methodist preacher in Monterey, New York, when +Joe and I were small boys, and we greeted each other with warmth and +affection, and had a jolly time talking over the "old times" when we +were bare-footed school lads. Finally Joe asked me where I "was holding +forth and what I was doing?" I told him that I had been living with +Colonel Boone, driving the stage coach from there to Bent's Old Fort, +but this trip I was on my way from Denver acting as conductor of the +mail. Mr. Graham asked me how long I had been with Colonel Boone. I told +him I had been with him up to that time, about six months. "I +understand," said Mr. Graham, "that Mr. Boone is a rebel." I told him +that he was most emphatically mistaken, that Colonel Boone was one of +the strongest Union men I had ever known, and that he was as strong a +Unionist as ever lived. Then it was that I found out what mischief +Haynes had sent the soldiers to the home of Colonel Boone, to do. + +Joe Graham told me that he was the Orderly Sergeant of the company that +had camped at Mr. Haynes, and Mr. Haynes had told the Lieutenant that +Colonel Boone was a rebel, and had a company of Texas Rangers camped +close to his premises for the purpose of making a raid on the Union +soldiers. Joe Graham stated that the Lieutenant had ordered him to take +some soldiers and go to the home of Colonel Boone, and if he found +things as Haynes had represented, to confiscate all his property, and to +burn all his buildings, but that the Lieutenant had cautioned them to be +careful and to ascertain if the story Haynes had told was true before +they began depredations. + +When Old Joe had finished his recital, my "dander was up." "Joe," said +I, "will you give me an affidavit of these facts, with the statement of +Mr. Haynes to the Lieutenant?" He told me that he would be pleased to do +so. We went to the Stage Company's office where Dan Hayden, a Notary +Public in and for Pueblo, Colorado, drew up the statement and Sergeant +Graham verified it. + +After thanking Mr. Graham for his kindness in this matter, I proceeded +to Bent's Fort, with what I considered good evidence of Mr. Haynes' +guilt. When I arrived at Bent's Fort, I had time to go from there to +Fort Lyons to meet the stage coming from the States, and I took this +affidavit with me to Major Anthony, the Commanding Officer of Fort +Lyons. Mr. Anthony told me that he had heard of some such talk as this, +coming from Mr. Haynes. He immediately sent two soldiers to Mr. Haynes' +and had him put under arrest and brought to the Fort. Mr. Haynes was +taken to Denver, Colorado, given a trial, convicted, and sentenced to +the penitentiary. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Macauley and Lambert Spar; Macauley is Placed in Guard House and the +Indian Agency Reverts to Major Anthony. + +A few weeks prior to the event last reported, the Indians reported to +Colonel Boone that their agent, Mr. Macauley, was doing them an +injustice. They declared to Colonel Boone that they had as much right to +take something to eat from their wagons and trains as Mr. Macauley had +to steal the goods sent there for them, and as long as they were being +dealt with fairly they would deal fairly in return. It was to that end +that Colonel Boone had perfected the treaty with them, and they were not +the aggressors. Satanta, the great chief of the Kiowas, represented the +Indians in this instance. + +When this fact became known Mr. Macauley was placed in the guard house +at Fort Lyons for dishonesty with the Indians. + +When Mr. Macauley found that the Indians were becoming hostile because +of his dishonesty, he went to the Stage Company's office at Fort Lyons +and proposed to Mr. Lambert to put up a large stone building on the +Stage Company's ground, for the purpose of storing goods. Mr. Lambert +began to sniff the air at once, he thought he had found a mouse, and he +said: "Mr. Macauley, I haven't the money to erect a building of that +kind now." Mr. Macauley told him that he would not have to furnish a +cent of money, that he, himself, would erect the building, but he wanted +it put up under Lambert's name. He told Lambert that he could get the +Government teamsters to haul the rock and put up the building, and it +wouldn't cost him anything to amount to anything, either. Mr. Lambert +told Mr. Macauley that he could not see the advisability of such a +building. "But," said Macauley, "there's so much condemned goods, such +as flour, meat and other groceries--the flour is wormy--and we can buy +them for nearly nothing, and could sell them for a big profit." He told +Lambert they could get rich enough to go East in a little while, and +live like Princes, such as they were, if shortness of means did not tie +them to the Western Plains. Soon their coffers would be filled to +overflowing, if they but planted the seeds of his cunning mind, they +would fructify with a harvest of plenty, and they would reap a rich +reward; for the goods that came in for the Indians were rapidly +accumulating, and at that time, there was already a heavy excess. + +Finally after they had reached the front room of the Lambert home, and +the conversation had taken on a still more confidential turn, Mr. +Lambert wheeled on his guest, and in tones not meant to inspire the +greatest confidence, almost shouted to Macauley, these words: "Do you +mean to come here and make a proposition for me to build you a hiding +place to put your stolen Indian goods in, over my name and signature? +Now, sir, your proposition would place Bob Lambert in the guard house, +while you, the man who steals these goods--you have as much as said that +they were sent here for the Indians--you would go free." Bob Lambert was +a mad animal when he was mad, and on he went, thundering like a bull who +had suddenly beheld a red umbrella: "Macauley, you dog! the goods you +are withholding from these Indians are causing trouble along the whole +frontier, and it will amount to a bloody battle with these ignorant +people; but, I say to you, these Indians are not ignorant of the fact +that it is you who are stealing their stuff. Nevertheless, the whole +white tribe will suffer through your dishonesty. These Indians have a +right to protect their rights, but in so doing, they may do depredations +in the wrong place." Mr. Macauley tried several times to pacify Mr. +Lambert; to tell him that he had misinterpreted his proposition. He +wanted to explain himself further and more fully, but Mr. Lambert would +have none of it, and told him to get himself out of his house, away from +his premises, and to remain away. + +While Mr. Macauley was hesitating, Mr. Lambert drew his pistol and with +one word, that sounded like a roar from a mighty lion, said, "Go!" Mr. +Macauley turned to leave, and Lambert yelled after him: "Run, you thief, +get up and hurry, or I will fill your legs full of lead;" and +Macauley did run. + +At this time Major Anthony was the Commanding Officer of Fort Lyons. Mr. +Macauley ran to the Major's office, reaching there greatly excited and +in an almost exhausted condition, he demanded Major Anthony to put the +chains on Mr. Lambert, and to chain him to the floor. Major Anthony +asked him what the matter was. Mr. Macauley began what sounded like a +very plausible story of his encounter with Mr. Lambert. + +When he stopped to catch his breath, he again ordered Major Anthony to +send at once for Lambert, and place him in the guard house for +threatening his life. + +Major Anthony rang the bell; the sentinel came in. "Mr. Sentinel," +ordered Major Anthony, "go at once to Mr. Lambert's and tell him I want +to see him, immediately." When the sentinel told Mr. Lambert his +mission, he prepared at once to go to the Major. While the sentinel was +gone for Mr. Lambert, Mr. Macauley attempted to leave the office of +Major Anthony before the return of the sentinel and Lambert, but Major +Anthony refused to permit his exit, though he had twice attempted to +leave before the arrival of Mr. Lambert. Mr. Macauley asked the Major +why he could not accept his given word, as correct. But impartial Major +Anthony assured him that to put a man in the guard house without a +hearing, would be unfair. He said he would give Mr. Lambert a trial. Mr. +Macauley grew furious, and told the Major that if he wanted to take +Lambert's word for this occurrence, instead of his, that he would go, +and he arose to leave the room, but Major Anthony restrained him. Major +Anthony said: "Now, Mr. Macauley, you sit down and cool off, and remain +seated, until the completion of this trial between yourself and Mr. +Lambert." At this juncture, Mr. Lambert and the sentinel appeared in the +doorway. Mr. Lambert advanced, with a salute, said: "At your service, +Major Anthony, what can I do for you?" Said Major Anthony: "You can tell +the cause of this disturbance between yourself and Mr. Macauley. Mr. +Macauley has already made his statement, and I want to hear what you +have to say." "Major," said Mr. Lambert, "will you not let Mr. Macauley +state the facts to you again, in my presence, regarding this affair?" +Mr. Lambert then drew his pistol out of his scabbard, laid it on the +table across from Mr. Macauley, and politely requested Major Anthony to +permit Macauley to tell him the exact truth of the matter in +controversy, beginning from the time he had entered his premises, with +his vile proposition, until the time of his hasty departure, from +his house. + +Mr. Lambert turned to Macauley with a little quick, nervous jesture, +saying: "Macauley, you tell Major Anthony the truth, and if you mince +words, and do not tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the +truth, I will kill you." + +Mr. Macauley called on Major Anthony for protection, but the Major only +replied, that he saw no need for protection, that all he had to do was +to tell the truth in the matter, and that he would vouch for Mr. +Lambert's peaceableness. "Now," said Major Anthony, "you may proceed +with your story. The truth is your best trick, and I must get it off my +hands, be quick about it." + +Mr. Macauley began the narrative with many a jerk and start, Major +Anthony was judge and jury, Mr. Lambert was a quiet spectator, but his +wonderful eyes kept the witness on the right track, until he had almost +completed his story and attempted to evade part of the conversation. +Lambert turned his commanding eyes upon the culprit, demanding that not +one iota of that proposition be left out of his recital. Brought to bay, +Macauley had nothing to do, but confess his crime and the proposition +made Mr. Lambert, but his nerve had broken loose and he was a whining, +puny puppy. + +"Now, Mr. Lambert," said Major Anthony, "I am much obliged to you and +you can go to your quarters." Major Anthony again rang for the sentinel +and told him to bring the sergeant of the guard house to him. + +When the sergeant came. Major Anthony turned to Macauley and told him +that he was dismissed from the post as agent of the Indian Supplies, and +he, himself, would have to be the commissioner until the government +appointed some one to supercede him. When the Major turned Macauley over +to the Sergeant, he told him to take the "thief" to the guard house and +to see to it that he did not escape. + +A few days after this episode, Major Anthony notified the Indians to +come and receive their annuities, as far as possible, from the remains. +Then he gave the Indians to understand that it was the intention of the +government, that they be fairly dealt with, and follow the terms of the +treaty made by Colonel A.G. Boone. + +That night the Indians had a big celebration, dancing, singing, yelling +and horse-racing, and signified that they now had a better feeling +toward the white race--that of brother--now that Major Anthony had +settled their grievances by removing Mr. Macauley from the commission. + +Major Anthony reported Mr. Macauley's conduct to headquarters at +Leavenworth, and the Leavenworth authorities came after him, but through +the white-washing of some one, this reprobate went scot free. + +After the Chivington Massacre on Sand Creek, the War Department was +greatly disturbed over the action of the Indians. Colonel Ford, who was +stationed at Fort Larned, was ordered to patrol the country on the +western boundary of Kansas and eastern Colorado, about half way between +the Arkansas River and the North Platte. He started out with 500 fully +equipped soldiers and proceeded about 350 miles to the northwest, and +without finding signs of Indians, he went into camp. + +In the month of October, in the year of 1863, William Poole of +Independence, Missouri, pack master of a mule train, discovered a few +smokes circling their camp, and told Colonel Ford of his find. Mr. Ford +made light of it, but the First Lieutenant of one of the companies said +that he was going to take every precaution possible, to protect his +valuable horse, and that he would not let it go out to range with +the mules. + +Mr. Poole tethered all his mules, that is, tied their forefeet about 18 +inches apart, so they could walk around and graze, but not run, and +placed double guard over the animals. + +At two o'clock in the morning, five Indians with Buffalo robes swinging +in the air, gave the war whoop and stampeded the soldiers of Colonel +Ford, and took every horse, but that belonging to the fastidious +Lieutenant. Every soldier nursed his "sore head" and had no consolation, +but to tell how slick those "red devils" relieved them of their horses. + +When the horses were gone, the soldiers had no further use of their +saddles and blankets. Colonel Ford ordered them burned so the Indians +could not profit by them. However, this was an error on the part of the +Colonel, as will be seen. All the horses and saddles would have been +returned in due time. Three weeks after Ford's experience in the Indian +country, an old Indian and his squaw came riding into Fort Larned on two +of the horses, which they traded off for nuts, candy, sugar and more +candy, and were highly pleased over their exchange. They had no use for +the large horses because they could not stand the weather as well as +their Indian ponies. They grinningly told the storekeeper they would +return in "two moons" with more horses. + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The Fort Riley Soldiers Go to Fort Larned to Horse Race With Cheyennes, +Comanches and Kiowas. + +The Indians are great people for sport and amusement and it would be +difficult to imagine a more inveterate gambler. Their greatest ambition +is to excel in strength and endurance. + +Several times as our coaches meandered across the plains, we came upon +the lodges of thousands of Indians, where the male population were +trying their skill at horse-racing. Even the small boys, many times as +many as fifteen or twenty, would be horse-racing and the chiefs would be +betting upon their favorites. + +For their race tracks, they dug ditches about four feet apart and threw +up the sod and dirt between the ditches. The whole tribe then packed the +ground in the tracks hard and smooth by riding their horses up and down +those tracks to pack the dirt still more firmly. These tracks were +generally one and one-eighth miles long. The Indians would then select a +horse which they regarded as especially swift and banter the soldiers +for a horse race, which the soldiers were quick to accept, if they were +lucky enough to get a furlough. These Fort Riley soldiers always brought +their best horses to Fort Larned to race against the Indians' +race ponies. + +Once during the summer of 1863 when there were only a few white people +at Fort Larned, the Indians, about 15,000 strong, commenced preparation +for a horse race between themselves and the Fort Riley soldiers. +Everything was completed and the Indian ponies were in good trim to beat +the soldiers. The Indians had placed their stakes consisting of ponies, +buffalo robes, deer skins, trinkets of all kinds and characters, in the +hands of their squaws. Then the Fort Riley soldiers came and the betting +was exciting in the extreme, the soldiers betting silver dollars against +their ponies, etc. The soldiers were victorious and highly pleased over +the winnings. The Indians handed the bets over manfully and without a +flinch, but one Indian afterward told me that they had certainly +expected to have been treated to at least a smoke or a drink of "fire +water;" but the soldiers rode away laughing and joking and promised the +Indians to return in "two moons," perhaps "three moons," in response to +their invitation. I was at this race and joined in the sport. Everything +was as pleasant as could be. There was no disturbance of any kind and +the soldiers took their "booty" and, as a matter of fact, did not even +invite the Indians to smoke a consolation pipe. + +During the fall of 1863 a small band of Comanches and Kiowas went to +Texas and procured a white faced, white footed, tall, slim black +stallion for racing purposes. In elation they notified the Fort Riley +soldiers to come again. This time, not only did the Fort Riley soldiers +come, but citizens from all over the whole country for a distance of +from 300 to 500 miles came to see the fun. There were from twenty to +thirty thousand Indians there, and the Indians who invited them prepared +to take care of a large crowd in good style, so confident were they that +this time "the pot" would be theirs. They had hunted down, killed and +dressed some fifty or sixty buffalo, and had them cooking whole, in the +ground--barbecuing the meats. This time the putting up of the bets +before the races came off was still more exciting than at the previous +race, for the Indians had from 500 to 1,000 ponies to put up. The white +men matched their money against the ponies of the Indians. The race had +begun. As it proceeded, shouts of "Hooray, hooray," the Indians' black +stallion is ahead, 100 feet in advance of the soldiers' horse, he goes. +The race is won, and the black stallion stands erect and excited, proud +and defiant, and has won the laurel for his man, and seems to know that +the trophy is theirs. All had placed their bets in the hands of the +squaws for the spokesman, Little Ravin, the orator and regular dude of +the Arapahoes, gave the white people to understand that everything would +be safe in the hands of the squaws he had selected to hold stakes. These +squaws proved true to their trust. After the distribution of the +winnings, Little Ravin told the soldiers to stay and eat. Everybody grew +merry. The soldiers went to the government dining room there at Fort +Larned and got all the knives and forks they could rake and scrape +together and took them to the barbecue. When the Indians saw that the +white people had entered into the banquet with such enthusiasm and zest +they went to the settlers' store and bought two or three hundred dollars +worth of candies, canned goods of all kinds, crackers, etc., to make +their variety larger. They also bought 50 boxes of cigars with which to +treat the citizens and soldiers. When everything was in readiness for +the feast, the white men all stood up near the feast with a few of the +greatest chiefs of the several tribes, while the other Indians who were +not acting as waiters, to see that the choicest pieces of buffalo meat +were given their guests, stood in a ring back of the white guests, and +did not attempt to satisfy their hunger until after the whites had +demonstrated that they had feasted to the brim. This was one of the most +amusing incidents of my life on the frontier, and the Fort Riley boys +felt that in this treatment, they had been dealt a blow to their own +generosity, and one of the soldiers acting as spokesman, told the +Indians that they were ashamed of their own lack of hospitality when +they were the winners of the other race. This pleased the Indians +greatly, and they fell an easy victim to the duplicity of the soldiers +and made a contract to sell their black stallion racing horse to them +for the sum of $2,000, which sale was to be completed 60 days later if +the soldiers still wanted the purchase of the horse, at which time they +were to notify the Chief, and he was to bring or send him to Fort Riley. +This was a great sacrifice, but the ignorant Indian was not aware of it. +During the 60 days before the Indian brought the horse in and received +their money one soldier went up to St. Joe and sold this horse, so I +have been told for the sum of $10,000 in cash, but for the truth of this +statement I will not vouch. + +It is a picturesque sight to watch the Indians move camp. Their trains +often covered several hundred acres of land. The Indians usually move in +a large body, or band. Their moving "van" consists of two long slim +poles placed on each side of a pony, made fast by means of straps tanned +by the squaws from buckskin and buffalo hides. About six or seven feet +from the ponies' heels are placed two crossbars about three or four feet +apart, connected by weaving willow brush from one crossbar to the other, +between these shafts, or poles, hitched to the pony. Upon this woven +space or "hold" are placed the household goods, the folded tents or +tepees, and lastly, their children and decrepit Indians. + +It is not unusual to see several thousand of these strange vans moving +together, their trains being sometimes three or four miles in length. +Then their politeness might also be spoken of, for while it is true that +they have a traditional politeness, it is not a matter of history. Their +sledges were never in the public road but at least 10 to 20 rods outside +of the road in the sage brush and cactus, leaving the road free for the +Stage Company's mail coach. + +In all the different books I have ever read, I have never seen one word +of praise for any courtesy the Indians gave us during those frontier +days, but instead I find nothing but abuse. The Indian is the only +natural born American and the only people to inhabit North America +before the discovery by Columbus. This land we so greatly love +rightfully belonged to the Red Man of the forest, and it is my opinion +that they had as much right to protect their own lands as do we in this +century. The novelists howl about the depredations committed by the +Indian, but their ravings are made more to sell their books and to +create animosity than for any good purposes. + +The Eastern people eagerly read everything they found that abused the +Indians, and the Indians in those days had no presses in which to make +known their grievances. The only thing left was to get vengeance +wherever he found a white man. "To me belongeth vengeance and +recompense." Personally I blame the press for loss of life to both the +Indian and the white men, for having schooled the white man erroneously. +Travelers crossing the plains were always on the defensive, and ever +ready to commence war on any Indian who came within the radius of their +firearms. When I was a boy I read in my reader: "Lo, the cowardly +Indian." The picture above this sentence was that of an Indian in war +paint, holding his bow and arrow, ready to shoot a white man in +the back. + +The novelists write many things of how Kit Carson shot the Indians. Kit +Carson was a personal friend of mine, and when I read snatches to him +from books making him a "heap big Indian killer," he always grew furious +and said it was a "damn lie," that he never had killed an Indian, and if +he had, that he could not have made the treaties with them that he had +made, and his scalp would have been the forfeit. At one time Kit Carson +went on an Indian raid with Colonel Willis down into Western Indian +Territory. He volunteered to go with Colonel Willis to protect him and +his soldiers, and at this very time Colonel Henry Inman tells of Kit +Carson being on the plains of the Santa Fe Trail, with a large company +of soldiers under his command, shooting Indians. + +This is a mis-statement of Colonel Inman. Kit Carson never had a company +of soldiers, was not a military man, and at no time raided the Indians. +As will be seen in another chapter of this book, he was simply a scout +and protector for the soldiers. Like Dryden, however, "I have given my +opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without +offense to their memories." Kit Carson said that the Indian, as a +people, are just as brave as any people. Their warriors were not +expected to go out as soldiers with a commanding officer, but each was +to protect himself. That, in their opinion, was the only way to carry +on war. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +Major Carleton Orders Colonel Willis to Go Into Southwestern Indian +Territory and "Clean Out the Indians." Kit Carson Volunteers to Go With +Colonel Willis as Scout and Protector. + +In June, 1865, two or three settlers coming from the border of the +Indian Country along the Texas and Arizona line, into Santa Fe, planned +to hunt and kill all the game on the reservation without consulting the +Indians. This occasioned trouble and one white man was killed. General +Carleton, in command of all the Southwestern country, stationed at Santa +Fe, heard about the killing, and without attempting to understand the +position the Indians held, or in any way to find out the cause of +trouble, sent an order to Colonel Willis, who was stationed at Fort +Union, to take his 300 California Volunteers to this reservation and to +"Clean out the Indians." His order was imperative. It did not say for +him to endeavor to find out the cause of the death of this white man, +but to go at once into their camp and to massacre, confiscate anything +of value, and have no mercy on the Redskins, who had slaughtered a white +man who was "only hunting" on the Indian reservation. + +When Colonel Willis got this order he said to me that he knew absolutely +nothing about the Indian mode of warfare, and that he was fearful of +getting his soldiers all killed, and he wished that Kit Carson would go +with him, but that he would not ask him to do so because he knew that +Carson would disapprove of the orders he had from Colonel Carleton. + +President Polk appointed Kit Carson to a second lieutenancy and his +official duty was to conduct the fifty soldiers under his command +through the country of the Comanches, but for some reason the Senate +refused to confirm the appointment, and he consequently had no +connection with the regular army. + +When Colonel Willis had his soldiers all in trim and was about to leave +Fort Union, Kit Carson, who had been watching him from a nail keg upon +which he was sitting, came up to him and slapped Willis' horse on the +hip, saying: "Willis, I guess I had better go with you; if you go down +there alone, them red devils will never let you return." "Kit," said +Colonel Willis, "That is what I want you to do, and we will wait for +you." But Kit Carson needed no time to prepare, he threw his saddle on +and told Colonel Willis that he was ready without any delay. At about 10 +o'clock in the forenoon the company left Fort Union, carrying one cannon +and plenty of ammunition. At about daybreak on their second day out, +they came upon a village of 100 or more tents camped on about the line +of New Mexico and Arizona. There were Kiowas, Comanches, Cheyennes, +Utes, Arapahoes and some Apaches in this village. Colonel Willis said to +Kit Carson that it was about time to "try their little canon," but Kit +Carson told Col. Willis "No." Kit asked Col. Willis to show him his +orders, which by the way he had not seen before volunteering to come +with Willis. When Carson read the order he was startled. It had never +occurred to him that a man of Col. Carleton's reputation would be so +unjust. Now said Kit Carson to Col. Willis, "Suppose we send out some +runners and bring the chiefs to us and see what occasioned all this +trouble that caused Gen. Carleton to give such orders." Col. Willis said +he had no such orders as that from Carleton, and the only thing he could +do was to "beard the lion in his den" because his orders were strict, +they said to go and kill the Indians wherever he found them and he would +be compelled to obey orders. The consultation between Col. Willis and +Brevet Kit Carson almost amounted to an argument. Kit Carson declared +that his orders should have read "in your discretion, etc.," and that it +was not advisable to take life in this manner, "but since you must obey +orders," Brevet Gen. Kit Carson said, "Fire away, if every mother's son +of you lose your scalp." + +At daybreak Col. Willis' soldiers fired into the Indian camp, where +dwelt something like 1500 Indians, mostly old squaws and papooses with a +few able-bodied warriors. Few escaped with their lives and those who did +escape were entirely destitute for the soldiers set fire to their tents +after loading their wagons to the hilt with whatever they considered +might be of value, buffalo robes, moccasins, blankets and other assets, +together with all the provisions from the camp. There were several tons +of the latter--buffalo meat, antelope, venison, goat, bear and dried +jack rabbit. When Kit Carson found that all this provision was +confiscated he demanded that it be unloaded and left for the consumption +of the few remaining Indians scattered over the plains who were without +food or shelter. + +After this raid they started for the Indian Territory and over into +Texas, hunting for more Indians. Kit Carson kept surveying the landscape +with a view to securing suitable places to fortify against the +formidable foe whom he knew might at any time steal upon them and ambush +them. Col. Willis had been watching him for several days and was totally +unable to make out from his deportment what he was looking for. When Kit +Carson told him that he was hunting for safe camping places Col. Willis +asked him if he thought they might be attacked. Kit Carson told him that +he knew that before many "moons" they would be surrounded by Indians, +and that they must begin their preparations for defense. Col. Willis was +unused to Indian signs, but Kit Carson knew them well. He had already +seen the Indian smokes. An Indian's telegraphic means were by smokes +placed at intervening points. These smokes denote place, number, etc., +known to all Indians and "path-finders." Kit Carson with his field glass +inspecting the country had noticed these smokes and knew that a large +band was being called together. He informed Col. Willis that they must +travel back to a certain place he had selected, a stone ridge with a +spring gushing out of the side of a cliff. This was about 4 o'clock in +the afternoon. They reached the stone ridge about dusk. "Carson," said +Willis, "tell us what to do, I know nothing about fighting these wild +devils." Kit Carson told him to put his soldiers to piling stone and +make a breastwork to hide behind. He told Willis to send some of the +soldiers to the spring and build up a wall several feet all around it +and put some of the soldiers in there for protection and at the same +time have a place to get water. The soldiers had not a minute to lose. +The Indians bore down upon them and sent arrows into their midst, but +did no damage. Kit Carson told a soldier to put a hat on a pole and lift +it up, that he believed some Indians were hidden in a wild plum thicket +close by; if so, they would shoot at the hat. This hat trick was tried +several times. Kit Carson had located the Indians pretty well by this +time and told Col. Willis to set his cannon so it would shoot very low, +to barely miss the ground, and then he thought they would have a chance +to snatch a "piece of sleep" before daylight. When the cannon exploded +the Indians retreated, taking with them their dead and wounded and did +not come back any more that, night. An Indian will risk his life rather +than leave a dead member of his band in the white man's possession. It +is an old superstition that if a warrior loses his scalp he forfeits his +hope of ever reaching the "happy hunting ground." Col. Willis and Kit +Carson camped there until two o'clock in the morning when they went down +off of the stone ridge out onto the open prairie twenty miles distant, +where they again camped. After dark they again started out on the trail. +Indians hardly ever attack at night. Nevertheless, the Indians began to +congregate until they numbered several thousand and chased Col. Willis +and Kit Carson 300 miles. Under the clever management of Kit Carson's +Indian tricks Col. Willis and his soldiers all escaped without a loss of +a man or getting one injured. Kit Carson told me that he was "mighty +thankful that the gol-derned grass was too green to burn." + +My Position in Reference to the Treatment of Indians. + +It has been my endeavor in writing this book to relate incidents as they +actually occurred and of my own personal knowledge and observation. My +experience with the Indians and my observations with their natural +traits and characteristics convinces me that the white man has not, in +most instances, been willing to do him justice and has subjected him to +a great deal of unmerited abuse and persecution. The outbreaks by the +Indians in all instances that came under my observation were brought +about by the ill treatment of the whites. The Indians were always very +reluctant to avenge themselves upon the whites for the wrongs done them. + +The Indians have been driven from their hunting grounds until many times +they were unable to secure food and were upon the verge of starvation. +Naturally, then, they would approach the wagons of the white men, go to +their settlements or follow the stage coaches and emigrant trains in the +hope of securing something to eat. The whites would often become +unnecessarily alarmed and attempt to frighten them away by killing one +or more of their number. As a result of this the Indians would be +aroused and take to the warpath and attempt to avenge the death of their +lost warrior by killing a white man wherever he chanced to find one. + +I have known such instances as this to occur many times and had I not +exercised every care to avoid hostilities and establish peaceful +relations between myself and my passengers and the Indians I would no +doubt have met with a similar experience in some of my trips along the +Santa Fe Trail. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +W. H. Ryus Enters Second Contract With Stage Company, Messenger and +Conductor of the U. S. Mail and Express. + +The spring of 1864 I left the services of the stage company and came to +Kansas City, Kansas, where my parents lived. + +In June of that year I bought a team, mowing machine and wire hay rake +and entered into a contract to furnish hay to the government. I took my +hay-making apparatus out on the prairie, about ten miles from Kansas +City, and cut several hundred tons of hay which I sold to the government +quartermaster at Kansas City. + +During the summer of that year Confederate General Price made his famous +raid through Westport, going South with his army, followed by the +Federal soldiers. + +There were upwards of 3000 of the Federal militia, and while on the road +from Westport to Kansas City they became frightened and stampeded. They +heard that Price's army was coming toward them from Westport. It was an +exciting scene to see men acting like wild men. + +The militia posted at Kansas City, Kansas, consisted of troops from the +counties of Brown, Atchison and Leavenworth and were under a newspaper +man's command, an editor from Hiawatha, Kansas, whose name I do not +recall. The governor of Kansas ordered this major to take his militia +and go to the line and protect Kansas City, Missouri, from Price's +raiders. The soldiers refused to go with their major in command. +However, they agreed to go to Missouri if their major would resign in +favor of Captain James Pope of Schuyler County New York, who was in +command of a militia of Kansas soldiers. This was done and Captain Pope +was made major and took charge of the several different companies +besides his own. + +At about ten o'clock in the forenoon in the latter part of July the +militia then started to go over into Missouri after Gen. Price. I went +along with the militia, and as we were approaching Westport we caught +sight of several thousand stampeding soldiers, going as fast as their +legs would carry them. + +I rode up alongside of Major Pope and said, "There's a stampede, see +them coming! I will make my horse jump the fence and run up to them and +tell them Price's army is coming the other way." Major Pope' replied, +"Go a-flying." He halted his troops and I rode through the fields toward +the stampeding soldiers, yelling to them and their officers that Price's +army was coming toward them from Kansas City. This checked them and gave +them a chance to collect their wits. + +The officers of the stampeded troops then called to the soldiers, "The +rebels are coming this way, right-about-face." By the time the stampeded +troops were brought to a halt they were face to face with Major Pope's +regiment. Major Pope being an old soldier, understanding military +tactics, went to the south end of the stampeded troops, took charge of +them and commanded them to right-about-face and started south for +West-port on a double-quick time. + +After the militia had gotten under way I put my horse under the dead run +and caught up with the Union soldiers who were in pursuit of Price's +army at Indian Creek, twenty miles from Westport. + +As it was now growing late I thought best to return to Kansas City. On +my way back I again came in contact with Major Pope with the militia and +told him that it was impossible for them to catch up with Price's +raiders or the other Union forces, for they were going on the dead run. +I told him that he might just as well go into camp, which he did, +greatly to the relief of his almost exhausted troopers. + +The next day Major Pope was ordered back to Kansas City to guard the +city in case the rebel soldiers should undertake to raid it. + + * * * * * + +Dear reader, please accept my apologies for having left my original +subject and brought you back to the Civil war. Back to the Santa Fe +Trail for me. + +When I got in home at Wyandotte, Kansas, now Kansas City, Kansas, a +messenger from the stage company was awaiting my arrival. He came to get +me to enter into a contract to again enter the services of the stage +company as conductor and messenger of the United States mail and express +from Kansas City across the long route to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I took +the position and started out the next morning. + +My first noted passenger after I became conductor of this stage coach +was the son of old Colonel Leavenworth, for whom Leavenworth was named, +and who built the fort about the year of 1827. + +After leaving Kansas City and getting settled down to traveling, Col. +Leavenworth Jr.'s first words to me were, "Have you been on the plains +among the Indians long?" I replied that I had been driving the mail +among them for three years. His next question was, "Do you know, or have +you ever heard of Satanta, the great chief of the Kiowas?" I told him +that I had seen him several times and had given him many a cup of coffee +with other provision. Col. Leavenworth Jr. seemed greatly pleased with +my answer and told me that he had a great affection for old Satanta and +that he was one of the nobles of his race, and also one of the best men +he had ever known regardless of race. Young Leavenworth delighted in +telling his exploits among the Indians and I was no poor listener, for +it always entertained me to hear some one give praise to my Indian +friends. Mr. Leavenworth told me that a great many of the different +tribes of Indians came to Fort Leavenworth to see his father and that he +had never had any trouble with them, however remote. At that time young +Leavenworth was a ten-year-old boy and a great favorite of Satanta, the +Kiowa chief. Leavenworth Jr. told me that he had gone on several hunting +trips with Satanta and be gone as long as two weeks away from his +father's fort. He told me that at one time when he had been away from +home two years at school in St. Louis that Satanta and his tribe were +there to welcome him home. The old chief wanted him to go on the prairie +with them to hunt the buffalo and be gone several weeks, so Leavenworth +Jr. told him that he would have to talk to his father about it. +Accordingly Satanta went to old Colonel Leavenworth and told him that he +wanted to take young Leavenworth on an extended hunting trip and might +go over into Colorado and other western states. The old colonel was +reluctant to let the child go with his strange friends and told Satanta +that if his tribe should become involved in trouble with the whites the +boy might be killed. Satanta said "no such ting." Santanta told the +father that no matter what war they got into they would protect the boy +and return him home safe and well. When Satanta's whole tribe came in +off the plains at the specified time they all entered into an agreement +to protect the boy at any sacrifice if he was permitted to accompany +them on the hunt. In their language they took the oath to protect the +boy, each one sworn in separately, and it was agreed that Satanta would +send two of his warriors to the nearest army post every week to tell his +father that the boy was all right. The boy always wrote brilliantly of +his travels in the wild western country. His father considered with much +pride reserved all these boyish letters which are masterpieces of +landscape and scenic description. Copies of these letters are still on +file in the war libraries and are set aside as "things of beauty." + +Young Leavenworth in talking to me about his travels with Satanta told +me that they got into the mountains about thirty days after they left +Fort Leavenworth and located in about where Cripple Creek is now +located. He said the Indians found and gathered considerable gold. In +two places in particular the gold in the sands of the creek bed was very +rich. They gathered gold for him and put it in a buckskin sack. What +this gift amounted to in dollars and cents I have forgotten, but it +amounted to several hundred dollars. He was gone three months. That was +the last time he ever saw Satanta. He was sent East after that to a +military school. At the time he was crossing the trail with me he had +only recently become a colonel in the Union army and was ordered to Fort +Union to take charge of some New Mexico troops. + +John Flournoy of Independence, Missouri, was one of the drivers on the +Long Route. When we were at Fort Larned, Colorado, Leavenworth inquired +of John if he knew where Satanta or any of his tribe were. John told him +they were on the Arkansas river not far from old Fort Dodge. + +We stopped at Big Coon Creek to get our supper, that was twenty-two +miles from where the Indians camped. (We only cooked twice a day, supper +was about four o'clock, then we drove long after nightfall). After +starting on our journey about five o'clock, going over the hills down to +the Arkansas river, we came in sight of the Indian camp which was some +ten miles distant. At this camp there were perhaps thirty thousand +Indians. At about nine o'clock we were within three miles of their camp +and could hear distinctly the drums beating and Indians singing. Col. +Leavenworth said, "That is a war dance, now we must find out the cause +of the excitement." There were no roads into the camp and we couldn't +get the mules to venture any further on account of the scent of green +hides always around an Indian camp, so Col. Leavenworth Jr. and I got +off the coach and walked in as close as we consistently could. Soon we +saw an Indian boy and Col. Leavenworth asked him in Indian language what +was going on at the big camp. The boy told him that the Kiowas and the +Pawnees had been at war with each other and that two of the Kiowas had +been killed and one of the Pawnees. They had secured the scalp of the +Pawnee and had fastened it to a pole, one end of which was securely +planted in the ground, and were mourning around it for their own dead. +An Indian thinks he is shamefully disgraced if one of his tribe gets +scalped. They will go right to the very mouth of a cannon to save their +tribe of such disgrace. Col. Leavenworth says, "I tell you, Billie, I +was afraid that some of the whites had been disturbing the Indians, but +I knew if I could but get word to Satanta we would be safe." When the +boy told us how matters really stood our "hair lowered" and Col. +Leavenworth asked the boy to take us to Satanta's tent. + +When we reached Satanta's tent the Indian boy went in and told him that +a white man wanted to see him. The old chief came out--we were about +twenty feet from the tent--he looked at Colonel Leavenworth first, then +at me, whom he recognized. He walked up to within a few feet of Colonel +Leavenworth, eyeing him sharply. Colonel Leavenworth spoke his name in +the Indian language. Satanta looked at him amazedly--he had not seen him +since he had developed into a man and could not realize that this was +the favored idol of his hunting trip through the Rocky mountains of +Colorado so many years ago. After this moment of surprise had subsided +Satanta gave one savage yell and leaped toward Leavenworth Jr. His +blanket fell off and he patted the cheek of the colonel, kissed him, +hugged him, embraced him again and again, then turned and took me by the +hand, grasping it firmly. He gave me a thrilling illustration of his joy +over the return of his old-time boy friend which impressed me with the +sincerity and true instinct of the Indian attachment for his friends. +Satanta called Col. Leavenworth "ma chessel." + +[Illustration: "SATANTA."] + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +Billy Ryus and Col. Leavenworth Invade Camp Where There Are 30,000 +Hostile Indians. + +When Col. Leavenworth introduced Satanta to me he grinningly answered +"Si; all my people know this driver, for we have drank coffee with him +on the plains before this day." This was spoken in the Indian tongue and +interpreted by Col. Leavenworth. + +Satanta immediately ordered some of his young warriors to go out and +herd our mules for the night--he told them to stake them where they +could get plenty of grass and put sufficient guard to protect them. I +told Satanta that we would want to start on our journey by daylight. + +Leaving Col. Leavenworth with Satanta I returned to my two coaches two +and a half miles back, accompanied by about two hundred or more young +Indian lads and lassies. The drivers unhitched the mules from the +Concord coach and put the harness up on the front boot of the coach. One +of the Indian herders asked me if I had some lariats. I told him I did +and he got one and tied it to the end of the coach tongue, then put two +lariats on the tongues of each coach, leaving a string about sixty feet +long--much to the wonderment of the passengers--motioned for me to mount +the seat and take up my whip. When I did this all these young Indians, +both boys and girls, laughingly took hold of the lariats and started to +pull our coach into camp. This occasioned much mirth. This was a great +sight for the tender-foot. My passengers declared it excelled any +fiction they had ever read. The boys and girls pulling and pushing the +coaches went so fast that I had difficulty in keeping the little fellows +from being run over. I applied the brakes several times. + +When we reached the camp the whole tribe began such screeching that many +passengers took the alarm again. Satanta came out, looking very erect +and soldierly, commanded the young men to haul our coach to the front of +his lodge so we could see all that was going on. Satanta's next order +was for the squaws to get supper. He said to the passengers, "We must +eat together, lots of buffalo meat and deer." After kindling their fire +of buffalo chips they soon had supper "a-going." I ordered my drivers to +take bread, coffee and canned goods from our mess box and we dined +heartily and substantially. + +At eleven o'clock I laid down in the front of my coach and snatched a +little sleep. I doubt whether the passengers took any sleep. I know that +Col. Leavenworth and Satanta were talking at three o'clock in the +morning, at which time Satanta called out his cooks and informed us that +we must "eat again." We breakfasted together. Just at daybreak the +Indians gave the whoop and the little fellows were on hand to haul our +coaches outside the camp. They hitched our mules and Satanta and the +chiefs of the other tribes went with us about ten miles and stopped and +lunched again. + +These chiefs begged Leavenworth to come back to their country and take +charge of the tribes, giving him as their belief that if he were in +charge there would be peace. Satanta called his attention to the battle +on the Nine Mile Ridge as well as to the massacre where they had +suffered so unmercifully. + +Satanta told Col. Leavenworth during his ride with us that morning that +for the inconvenience suffered by the public the Indian was totally +blameless. At no time did his people make the first attack on the whites +and take their lives, but that in approaching their caravans and asking +for food they were shot down as they had been on the Nine Mile Ridge. +The American soldiers had burned their wigwams, slaughtered their +decrepit men, women and children and carried away their provision. +Satanta told Col. Leavenworth that he had heard of the newspapers, the +press, and so on. He told him that he knew that they were for the +purpose of prejudicing white people against his race. Satanta said that +the Indians desired peace as much as did the white man. Leavenworth told +the old chief that he regretted the loss of life, but Satanta told him +that his regret was no greater than his regret for both the Indians and +the whites. This ended the conversation between these two friends. After +many adieus they separated, each going his own way. + + * * * * * + +On our journey to Fort Lyon I casually mentioned the name of Major +Anthony (nephew of Governor George T. Anthony, the sixth governor of +Kansas). I told him that Major Anthony was very friendly toward the +Indians. This is the same Major Anthony who took charge of the Indian +agency when Macaulley was discharged so unceremoniously. I told Col. +Leavenworth that Major Anthony had such a rare character that if he had +his way about it there would be no war. + +Colonel Leavenworth Jr. asked me to introduce him to Major Anthony when +we reached Fort Lyon, which I did. Major Anthony asked me if I would +wait a couple of hours so he and Colonel Leavenworth could talk over +Indian matters a while before we proceeded to Bent's Old Fort, forty +miles south of Fort Lyon. + +After we started on our route Colonel Leavenworth remarked about the +rains which had been falling. I told him I was afraid we would +experience some difficulty in crossing the Arkansas river. Sure enough +when we reached there the river was a seething mass of turbulent waters, +but we succeeded in crossing safely at Bent's Old Fort. Then we had +eighty miles to go before we struck the foothills of the Raton +mountains, fording the Picketwaire river at the little town of Trinidad, +Colorado, over the Raton mountains. In going up the mountain we crossed +the creek twenty-six times. + +On this route was a place known to the train men as "The Devil's Gate." +This was a very large rock extending out over the road running close to +the creek with a precipice below. We had to use great care and +precaution in handling our mules around this rock to take the road. We +saw several broken wagons at this point where several freighters had +been doomed to bad luck. + +We ascended the mountains to the foot where were the headwaters of the +Red river, four miles from the Red river station of the stage company, +thence to Fort Union, where I delivered Colonel Leavenworth. That was +the last time I ever saw him. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A "Trifling Incident"--Billy Ryus Runs Risks With Government +Property. + +Six months after my visit to the camp of Satanta a trifling incident +comes to my mind. Crossing Red river which was considerably swollen due +to the heavy thaws--the river at this point was only about nine feet +across and about two and a half feet deep--but it was a treacherous +place because it was so mirey. It stuck many freight wagons--I was in a +quandary just how I would cross it. After climbing down off of the +coach, looking around for an escape (?), a happy idea possessed me. I +was carrying four sacks of patent office books which would weigh about +240 pounds a sack, the sacks were eighteen inches square by four and a +half feet long, so I concluded to use these books to make an impromptu +bridge. I cut the ice open for twenty inches, wide enough to fit the +tracks of the coach for the wheels to run on, then placed four of these +sacks of books in the water and drove my mules across Red River. I was +fully aware that the books were government property, but from past +experience I knew they would never be put to use. + +People all along the route were mad because the stage company charged +$200 for a passage from Kansas City to Santa Fe and knowing that we were +compelled to haul the government mail, heavy or light, in the way or out +of it, and desiring to "put us to it," kept ordering these books sent +them. They never took one of them from the postoffice, hence the +accumulation in the postoffice grew until there was room for little +else. These books were surveys and agricultural reports. Unreadable to +say the least, but heavy in the extreme. The postoffice at Santa Fe was +a little bit of a concern, and the postmaster said there was no room for +the books there. Earlier in the year I had carried one of these sacks to +the postoffice and had attempted to get the postmaster to accept them as +mail. I told him that it was mail and that I had no other place to +deposit it. Nevertheless he said he would not have them left at the +postoffice and told me do anything I wanted to with them, saying at the +time that people all around there had a mania for ordering those books, +but never intended to take them when they ordered them. I took the books +around to the stage station and discovered four wagonloads of the +"government stuff." + +At the time I placed the books in Red river I knew that the postmaster +would not let them be left there and I knew they might serve the +government better in a "bridge" than otherwise. Knowing this I felt that +I had a remedy at law and grounds for defense. + +The four passengers with me "jawed" me quite enough to "extract" the +patience of an ancient Job for having treated government property to a +watery burial in Red river. Two of the passengers were Mexicans and two +other men from New York. However, the two Mexicans soon disgusted the +other two passengers, who took sides with me. The Mexicans said they +would report me to the government, and I had no doubt they would. + +As soon as I got to Santa Fe I went to see General Harney, ex-governor +of New Mexico. I told him what I had done and why I did it. General +Harney told me he was glad I had notified him right away and said he +would explain this transportation of the patent office books to the +fourth assistant postmaster. I gave him a detailed account of my +conversation regarding the disposition of the books to the postmaster +the trip before, which conversation he put in the form of an affidavit +and took it to the postmaster to verify. The postmaster refused to sign +the document, saying that he was no such a fool as that. General Harney +reported to the government who ordered the postmaster to rent a room in +which to store the government books now in possession of the stage +company. I knew that the postmaster was going to get these orders, so I +told Mr. Parker, proprietor of the hotel (called in those days the +"Fonda") that he could rent the room to the postmaster for $15 per +month. He would draw $45 per quarter and net the stage company $30. We +conductors made the drivers haul all the books over to the postoffice, +and when we had put all inside that we could get in there, obstructing +the light from the one solitary window, we put several thousand up on +top of the postoffice. Everybody was looking at us and everybody else +was laughing. + + * * * * * + +In a squealy little old voice the postmaster came out and told us to +take them to "Parker's Fonda," that he had rented the room for the +storage of such trash. Thus it came that the books were placed back in +the same room in which they were formerly stored, but they were now +paying the stage company rent for "their berths" and continued three +years to net the stage company $10 per month. + +This transaction caused the government to quit printing these books. The +governor sent directions to the Santa Fe Stage Company at Kansas City +that should more such books accumulate they might be delivered by +freight. There were no more sent. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Tom Barnum Muses Over the Position the Government Will Take in Regard +to the Bed of Red River Being Suitable Resting Place for the +U.S. Mail. + +After having deposited the patent office reports in their watery grave +in Red river I met and had an interview with Tom Barnum, one of the +owners of the stage line. "Billie, you devil," were his first words to +me, "been puttin' the mail in the river, be ye?" I answered, "Yes, sir." +"Well," Barnum said, "didn't you take some pretty risky chances when you +did this--are you sure you won't get us into some serious trouble?" I +told him that I believed that I had just saved his company not less than +$5000 by "dumping" that bulky trash. I told him that the company had +made complaints to the government about sending the reports into New +Mexico and that the Postmaster General had not given us the +consideration we deserved and the postmasters had also refused their +acceptance after we had "carted" them to destination. It's my firm +belief that in using the books in the manner I did they served the +United States better than they could have done any other way. I told Mr. +Barnum how ex-Governor Harney had befriended me in the matter and that I +felt safe to say that no bad effects could grow out of my conduct. + +This pacified Tom Barnum and I told him that I wanted his company to +give me credit for half the money I had saved them on this book hauling +business on the day of settlement. I also told him that I had promised +to "deadhead" ex-Governor Harney and family (consisting at that time of +wife and one child, a daughter fifteen years old) to the states and when +they arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, he was to see that they got a +pass over the road to New York City. Barnum wheezed out a little laugh +and an exclamation that sounded like "h--l," but finished good naturedly +by telling me that he would do it. As our conversation lengthened he +said, "Billy, been thinking over this dead-headin' business of +yourn,--Billy," again said Mr. Barnum, "you're an accommodatin' devil. I +believe if the whole Santa Fe population would jump you for a 'free +ride' to Kansas City you would give it to 'em and our company would put +on extra stages for their benefit. It don't seem to make any difference +to you what the company's orders are, you do things to suit your own +little self, 'y bob!" Barnum went on musing, but I kept feeling of my +ground and found I was still on "terra firma." "Well," says I, "don't +forget all those little points on the day of settlement, especially what +I have saved on the book business in the way of 'cartage' and +'storage.'" I told him that I might want to feather a nest some time for +a nice little mate and cunning little birdies. This conversation took +place at Bent's Old Fort. My next conversation with him took place in +Santa Fe, New Mexico. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Tom Barnum Takes Smallpox. I Visit My Home. Dr. Hopkins Gets Broken +Window, a Quarter, and the Ill Will of the Stage Company. + +During the year of 1863 I took a notion to "lay off" and go home on a +visit. Tom Barnum, one of the owners of the road, was at Santa Fe at +that time and was to be one of the passengers into Kansas City. I met +Mr. Barnum in the "fonda" and he told me he was sick, remarking that he +wished he would take the smallpox. I told him he would not want to have +it more than once. "Well," said he, "if I took the smallpox it would +either cure me of this blamed consumption or kill me." I told him that +he wasn't ready to "kick the bucket" yet, for the boys needed him in +Kansas City. + +Mr. Barnum had been exposed to the smallpox but was not aware of it, so +we started to Kansas City. When we arrived in Kansas City we went to the +old Gillis hotel, the headquarters for all the stage company's +employees. When the doctor came he told him that he had the smallpox, +but that he need call no one's attention to it until he had given him +leave. The doctor fixed up a bed in the attic, tore a glass out of the +window and took every precaution to keep the pestilence from spreading +through the house. The doctor took Tom Barnum up in the attic, placed +plenty of water within his reach and put a negro to mind him. Then the +doctor went to the office and told Dr. Hopkins that Barnum had the +smallpox and was up in the attic. He said to the hotelkeeper that there +was no need of announcing it to the boarders, but Dr. Hopkins said he +would do it anyway, and for him to get Barnum out of the house and to a +hospital, that he would ruin him. That night Dr. Hopkins announced to +his guests that Barnum was there with the smallpox. Sixteen of his +boarders left "post haste," but the house filled up again before night +in spite of the smallpox sign. At that time, in the year of 1863, the +Gillis house run by Dr. Hopkins was the only large house in Kansas City +in use. There was a new building, the "Bravadere," up on the hill from +the levee, but it had not been furnished. + +When Barnum got over the smallpox he took the bed out the window and +burned it, together with everything else in the room, and thoroughly +fumigated the premises. + +With a face all scarred with smallpox he then went down to the office +and told the proprietor of the hotel what he had done with the +furniture, bedding, etc., that he had used while he was sick. He told +Dr. Hopkins that he wanted to pay him for the damage and asked him what +price he should pay for the furniture he had burned. Hopkins told him he +supposed $50 would cover it. Then he asked him how much he had damaged +his house. Hopkins again replied that he injured him about $50. "All +right," said Tom Barnum, "I'll pay it, but let me ask you how many +boarders left you when they heard I was sick in the attic with the +smallpox." Mr. Hopkins told him they all left. "So I understand, Mr. +Hopkins, but will you tell me how many came in before night--how many +empty beds did you have while I lay ill with smallpox?" Hopkins was +hedging, but he had to answer that all his beds were full; that he had +no room for more than came, but he said he felt sure that his house had +been injured at least $50. Finally Tom Barnum happened to think of the +window pane he had left out of his inventory of materials destroyed and +mentioned it. Greatly to Barnum's disgust Hopkins scratched his head and +replied that he guessed that a quarter would cover the damage to +the window. + +When this conversation was over and Barnum had paid for all the +"smallpox damage" he said, "Now, Hopkins, figure up what our company +owes you; I want to pay it, too." "No," said Hopkins, "I haven't time +now, I always make out my bills the first of the month." "Well," said +Barnum, "you figure our bill up right now and do not include dinner for +any of us, for we are leaving you right now, and will never bring a +customer to this house again and never come here to get a passenger nor +any one's baggage. In fact, our teams will never come down the hill +again to this house, we're quittin'." + +The smallpox had left old Barnum pretty weak physically, but had +evidently not weakened his will. He left Hopkins in the office figuring +up his account and he jumped a-straddle of a bare-backed mule and went +up on the hill and rented the new 40-room house, "The Bravadere," and +sub-rented enough rooms to pay the expenses of his company. He also got +a porter, bus and team and sent to the landing to meet every steam boat +to carry passengers and their baggage free of charge to his "new hotel" +on the hill. This new hotel got to be all the rage, and the old levee +hotel in the bottoms was doomed to be a "thing of the past." The old +Gillis hotel on the levee was bought in by the Peet Soap Factory. The +old "Bravadere" still stands in Kansas City, but boasts a new +brick front. + +[Illustration: "UNCLE" DICK WOOTEN.] + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Uncle Dick Wooten Erects a Toll Gate. Major Pendelton Carries Cash in +Coach to Pay Troops. + +In August of 1864 the scenery along the route from Kansas City, +Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, was grand. Kansas City at that time +was a very small place. Its inhabitants may have numbered two or three +thousand. Santa Fe with its narrow streets looking like alleys was built +mostly of doby (mud bricks). Crowded up against the mountains, at the +end of a little valley, through which runs a tributary to the Rio +Grande, boasted of healthful climate. Santa Fe had a public square in +the center, a house known as "the Palace." There were numerous gambling +houses there and these gambling houses were considered as respectable as +the merchants' store houses. The business of the place was considerable, +many of the merchants being wholesale dealers for the vast territory +tributary. In the money market there were no pennies,--nothing less than +five-cent pieces. The old palace about which I have called your +attention is an old land mark of Santa Fe and is to Santa Fe what "The +Alamo" is to Texas. The postoffice at that time was a small building, +14x24, with a partition in the center. It was one-story with a dirt +roof, as were all the houses of that old Spanish city at the time my +narrative opens. + +On my first trip from Santa Fe to Kansas City in 1864 there was little +to note except that when I got up on the Raton mountain about thirty +miles from Trinidad, Colorado, Uncle Dick Wooten had a large force of +Mexicans building a toll road. Originally the road was almost +impassable. Saddle horses and pack mules could get over the narrow +rock-ribbed pass and around what was known as the "devil's gate," but it +was next to impossible for the stages and other caravans to get to +Trinidad. This was the natural highway to southwestern Colorado and +northwestern New Mexico. Uncle Dick was a man of considerable +forethought and it occurred to him that he might make some money if he +bought a few pounds of dynamite and blasted the rock at "the Devil's +Gate" and hewed out a good road, which, barring grades, should be as +good as the average turnpike. He expected of course to keep the roads in +good repair at his own expense and succeeded in getting the legislatures +of Colorado and New Mexico to grant him a charter covering the rights +and privileges of his projected toll road or turnpike. + +In the spring of 1865 Uncle Tom built him a tolerably pretentious home +on the top of the mountains--the house on one side of the road and the +stables on the other and swung a gate across the road from the house to +the stables. I believe some historians say that Uncle Dick Wooten +continued to live at this place until the year of 1895, the date of his +death. But as to the veracity of this assertion I will not vouch. + +The building of this road with great hillsides to cut out, ledges of +rock to blast out and to build dozens of bridges across the mountain +streams, difficult gradings, etc., was no easy task. Neither was it an +easy task to collect toll from all the travelers. People from the states +understood that they must pay toll for the privilege of traveling over a +road that had been built at the cost of time and money, but there were +other people who thought they should be as free to travel over Uncle +Dick's, well-graded roadway as they were to follow the "pig paths" +through the forest. + +He had no trouble to collect tolls from the stage company, the military +authorities and American freighters, nor did he experience trouble with +the Indians who pass that way. However, the Indians who did not +understand the matter of toll generally seemed to see the consistency of +reimbursing the man who had made the road, and the chief of a band would +usually think it in order to make him a present of a buckskin or buffalo +hide or something of that sort. The Mexicans, however, held different +views. They were of course pleased with the road and liked to travel +over it, but that toll gate was as "a dash of cold water in their +faces." They called it Dick Wooten's highway robbery scheme. + +After Uncle Dick's road was completed and the stage coaches began to +travel over it his house was turned into a stage station and you can +guess that Uncle Dick Wooten had many a stage story to relate to the +"tenderfoot" who chose his house to order a meal or sleep in his beds. + +Kit Carson was one of the lifelong friends of Uncle Dick and two men for +whom I have great respect. They were both friends to the Indians and +both have told me that they would never kill an Indian. The Arapahoes +knew Uncle Dick Wooten as "Cut Hand" from the fact that he had two +fingers missing on his left hand. This tribe had a great veneration for +the keeper of the tollgate, and he was perfectly safe at any time in +their villages and camps. One of the dying chiefs made as a dying +request, that although the nation be at war with all the whites in the +world, his warriors were never to injure "Cut Hand," but to assist him +in whatever way they could if he needed them. Uncle Dick Wooten's +Christian name was "Richen Lacy Wooten" and lived at Independence, +Missouri, before venturing to the frontier. + +Before I leave Uncle Dick to go on to another journey across the Old +Santa Fe Trail I will relate the story of the death of Espinosa--Don +Espinosa. The Mexican aristocracy are called "Dons," claiming descent +from the nobles of Cortez' army. We will see how cleverly Uncle Dick won +the reward of $1000 offered by the governor of Colorado for the life of +the bandit, dead or alive. + +Espinosa living with his beautiful sister in his isolated farm house +among his vast herds of cattle, sheep, goats and other animals lived a +life of luxury. There was a government contractor living in his vicinity +buying beef cattle for the consumption of the soldiers. Espinosa came to +believe that he was losing beef steers and thought that the contractor +was getting them, and when this contractor was shot and killed by an +unknown at Fort Garland it was generally supposed that Espinosa had +murdered him. + +I have heard there was a very rich American living at the home of +Espinosa and that he was enamored by the bewitching beauty of the +dark-eyed sister of Espinosa and they were engaged to be married. The +American had told Espinosa that he possessed considerable money, etc., +and one night after the American had gone to bed he was awakened by a +man feeling under his pillow for the purpose of robbery, and shot at the +intruder, who was no other than the treacherous Espinosa. When Espinosa +found that he was "caught in the act" he killed the American with a +dirk. His sister cursed him for having killed her lover, the only child +of a rich New Englander. This deed is said to have stimulated in +Espanosi a desire to reap in the golden eagles faster and faster, so he +determined to become a bandit, a robber. Several Denver men met death +along near the home of the famous Espinosa and the governor accordingly +offered a reward of $1000 for his body, dead or alive. + +After this reward was offered I was passing through Dick Wooten's toll +gate on my way to Santa Fe and one of my passengers had a copy of the +Denver Times in which he read of the reward out for Espinosa in the +presence of Uncle Dick. Uncle Dick fairly groaned with satisfaction and +made this reply, "I will get that man before many suns pass over +his head." + +About two weeks later Wooten was hunting and he heard a shot ring out on +the air, and decided he would go in the direction of the shot and see +what was up. He got on his stomach with his rifle fixed so he could +shoot any hostile intruder and stealth-fully crawled up to within a few +yards of where he had discovered a small camp smoke. There he espied +Espinosa in company with a small twelve-year-old boy, ripping the hind +quarter out of a beef steer he had killed. Wooten kept watching and +crawling nearer--Espinosa unsuspicious of the watch of the old trapper, +prepared to cook his supper and had beef already over the fire cooking, +answering the many questions of the hungry lad near him, when Wooten, +getting a sight on him, sent out a shot that ended the life of the +fearless and revengeful Mexican bandit, the terror of the Mexican and +Colorado border, Espinosa. + +The boy hid under a log, but after being assured by Wooten that he would +not be harmed came out and answered Uncle Dick Wooten's inquiries. The +child said he was a nephew of Espinosa. When asked what the notches on +the gun of the bandit denoted, he told him they denoted the number of +men killed by his uncle, for whose life he had paid the forfeit by his +own at the hands of Dick Wooten, the famous trapper of the Rocky +mountains and keeper of the toll-gate of the Santa Fe Trail. + +Uncle Dick, a kind-hearted old fogie, in spite of the fact that he had +just killed a bandit, gently pacified the little lad and finished +cooking the supper. When it was all ready they both ate ravenously of +the beef, bread and coffee; then Uncle Dick cut off the head of Espinosa +and placed it in a gunny sack, took the rifle of the beheaded robber and +placed the little boy on his horse behind him and started for the +toll-gate; from there they went to Denver and collected the ransom. +Besides the $1000 reward for the potentate of the Rocky mountains which +Uncle Dick received, he was also the recipient of a very fine rifle, +mounted in gold and silver, and a small diamond. This rifle was said to +be worth $250. Uncle Dick showed the "fire-arm" to me and I considered +it a very beautiful instrument of its kind. Old Uncle Dick proudly +invited inspection of his beautiful "fire-arm," but woe to the man who +criticised its wonderful mechanism. I do not know of Espinosa's being on +the Santa Fe Trail but twice during my travels. + +The drivers used to have lots of fun with the passengers and after we +left Trinidad they would solemnly warn the passengers to examine their +Winchesters and revolvers, that it was not unlikely that we would be +accosted by some of the gang of the Espinosa's robbers, and tell them +that the Texas Rangers would often hide in the mountains and extract +money and other valuables from the passengers crossing over to +the states. + +Uncle Dick Wooten's wife was a Mexican and they had a very beautiful +daughter who married Brigham Young. However, this Brigham was not the +great Brigham of Utah and Salt Lake fame. He was only an employee of the +stage company in charge of the stage station at Iron Springs, about half +way between Bent's Old Fort and Trinidad. This station was situated in a +grove of pinyon trees and other fine timber and infested by mountain +bear. Sometimes if we were passing along in the night the mules would +smell the bear and become unmanageable. + + * * * * * + +One time I had a passenger, Joe Cummins, a marshal of New Mexico, en +route to Washington to get extradition papers for a man who had run away +to Canada, Joe was as full of mischief as a "young mule." I had three +other passengers and Joe Cummins kept them laughing all the way into +Bent's Old Fort, the junction of the Denver road. There we were met by +Major Pendleton and his clerk. Major Pendleton was paymaster of the +Union army on their way to Fort Lyon, Fort Larned and Fort Zara to pay +off the soldiers. He rode with me to Fort Lyon and from there he either +had to go with me by stage or take a Government conveyance, i.e. the +militia, which would take him eight or ten days. He decided to go with +me if I would agree to wait for him until he paid off the soldiers at +Fort Lyon and get an escort of soldiers. He said he had $96,000. He gave +me his package containing the $96,000 to put in the company's safe. I +was busy with my coach at the time he handed me the package and I laid +it down by the front wheel. A few minutes later he discovered the +package on the ground by the wheel of the coach and picked it up and +told me he would like for me to take care of it. I told him I would +attend to it as soon as I got loaded--we were fitting up two coaches +with mail and baggage to cross the Long Route and I would soon be +loaded, and I laid the package down again. Pretty soon the major came +around and picked up the treasured package and quite sternly asked me, +"Are you going to take care of this?" The third time he entrusted it to +me, at which time I asked him to come to the office of the stage company +with me. When I got there I drew an express receipt, signed and handed +it to him, stating that it would take $400 to express it. By paying that +amount I told him that I would place it in the safe. "Oh!" he said, "the +government would not allow me to pay express." I handed it back to him +and told him that the government then would have to be responsible for +it, not the stage company. Then the major said he would order a strong +escort to go with us across the long route. I told him that if he rode +with me he would do nothing of the sort, that if an escort went with me +I was the man to order it, then they would be under me and travel with +the same speed I traveled. I told him if he ordered the escort he would +have to stay with them, so the major told me to "fire away." I went to +Major Anthony and told him that I thought twenty men would be +sufficient, but that the old paymaster wanted thirty-five men, so I +yielded to him in this, and with thirty-five soldiers we started. At +daylight the next morning I yelled "All aboard," and the lieutenant in +charge of the escort, who was a regular army officer, told his cook to +get breakfast. I told the lieutenant that we always made a drive of from +ten to fifteen miles before we breakfasted. He said he wouldn't do it, +that the regulations of the army were to make two drives a day and not +over thirty miles without food. The lieutenant said he wouldn't drive +the way I wanted him to and they would have breakfast before they +started. I told him "All right, stay and have your breakfast, I don't +object, but then go back to Fort Lyon." I did not need an escort unless +they complied with my orders. I had orders from my headquarters and they +were supposed to be at "my service" as escort of the mail and express. +Well, Major Pendelton was in a "pickle"--it was a predicament he did not +know how to get out of. He wanted to get through as soon as possible and +knew that if he went back with the Lieutenant, he would be delayed. He +thought he had too much money to be left with me without the escort. He +remembered Major Anthony's words to him before we left the fort. Major +Anthony had told him, "you are safe in Billy's coach, he never has +trouble with Indians." However, while Pendelton pondered, Joe Cummins +thought he would fix matters with the Lieutenant and took him to one +side and told him that he was under the orders of the conductor of the +Government Mail and Express, that I was in the service of the United +States Mail and that my orders would supercede any orders about +traveling. Mr. Cummings told him that I would make my 50 and 60 miles a +day and he would have to make his mules travel that fast, or go back. +"If you leave," Joe says, "Major Anthony will report you to headquarters +at Leavenworth." The Lieutenant finally decided to go, much to the +relief of Major Pendelton. After we had gotten straightened out and on +the road' once more, Joe Cummins thought that the fun had tamed down too +much, so he winked at me, then asked me, "Billy, where do those Texas +rangers hold out along this road, do ye know?" "Yes," I told him, "they +generally hold out right across the river in the hills, which afford +them such good hiding places where they can ambush without being +discovered." At this, Major Pendelton suddenly woke up, "what's that, +you fellers are talking about?" Joe, casually remarked that they were +discussing that band of robbers that lived on the route across the river +from us. He kept on until Major Pendelton was feeling "blue." When we +camped for breakfast--dinner as the Lieutenant called it. Cummings told +the paymaster many a bloody tale of the lawlessness of that trail, and +ended by telling him and his clerk that while I was getting breakfast +ready that they had better practice up on their marksmanship. The clerk +had a four-barreled little short pistol. The first time he shot at the +mark he struck the ground about four feet from it. The four barrels all +exploded at once. The paymaster jumped about six feet in the air, +thinking that we were surely attacked from the rear. Cummings was +tickled to death. He handed the paymaster his revolver, which was a +12-inch Colts, and told him to shoot toward the board. The paymaster +fired and missed the mark. "Well," Cummings said, "Billy, it's up to you +and me, if we are held up by the Texas rangers on this trip." "But," +Cummings said, "the Major here is a first-class shot, but a little weak +in the knees." After we again resumed the road, the paymaster began to +feel a little easier, and a little like I should think a "donkey" would +feel. He knew now that Joe Cummins had been "prodding fun at him" and +had no defense. At Ft. Larned the next day, I accommodated the paymaster +by waiting four hours for him to pay off the troops. He asked me if we +had better take an escort, but I told him I was sure we had no use for +an escort since it was only a five hour trip to Ft. Zara, where Larned +City now stands. I told him that the last escort we would need would be +from Cow Creek and that we could get one from the commanding officer +there. When we reached Kansas City the paymaster took the steamboat to +Leavenworth and Joe Cummins went to Washington and made application for +extradition papers to go to Canada for a man who had done some damage in +New Mexico. Cummins told me that Lincoln told him to go on back home and +let the man in Canada alone, that the officers in New Mexico had all +they could attend to without another man. + +Joe Cummings went back to Santa Fe with me and had many a laugh about +the old gentleman, meaning Major Pendelton, getting so "riled up" over a +possible encounter with Indians, Texas rangers, etc. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +The Cold Weather Pinches Passengers Going Across the Plains. + +On one of my wintry trips across the plains, I took a passenger by the +name of Miller who was going to Santa Fe to buy wool for Mr. +Hammerslaugh. That was one of the most extreme cold winters I ever +experienced. When we reached the long route, that is from Ft. Larned a +distance of 240 miles to Ft. Lyon with no stations between, we took two +coaches if we had several passengers; however, this time I only had Mr. +Miller. The first night out I told him he had better sleep on the +ground, he would sleep warmer and be safer from the elements, but he +said he would freeze to death. I told him that by morning he would see +who had frozen if he slept in the coach. Well, he had lots of bedding, +buffalo robes, buffalo overshoes and blankets. This was in the month of +January and the weather was down below zero and still a "zeroin'," it +being at this time 20 below. Sixty-five miles from Ft. Lyon I opened the +curtains and asked him how he was faring, and he told me he was frozen +to the knees. At Pretty Encampment I opened the curtains again and told +him we had better put him in cold water and take the frost out of his +limbs. I told him I would cut a hole in the ice and put his feet in +there and he would get all right, but he would not hear to it, he said +he couldn't stand it. I insisted that it was the only plausible thing to +do. He said that if I would drive straight to Ft. Lyon as hard as I +could go that he would give me $100. I told him no, I could not do that, +it would kill the mules before we could get there. At four o'clock, +however, we arrived in Ft. Lyon with our frozen patient. We got a doctor +as soon as possible who doped his legs with oil and cotton and kept +him there. + +On my next trip in the month of February, I took a lady passenger, a +Miss Withington, daughter of Charles Withington, who lived ten miles +east of Council Grove, Kansas. She wanted to go to Pueblo, Colorado. I +told her how dangerous it was at that time of the year, but she insisted +that she would make it all right, and as luck would have it, she did +make it. John McClennahan of Independence, Mo., was our driver. On this +trip as on the previous trip, at Pretty Encampment I opened the curtains +and asked Miss Withington how she was. She told me her feet were frozen. +"Well," I said, "Miss Withington, there is only one thing to do, and it +is a little rough." She asked me what it was. I told her that I would +cut a hole in the ice and put her feet in the river if she would consent +to it. She was a nervy little woman, and laughingly told me to "go at +it." I went ahead with blankets and the hatchet and cut a hole in the +ice, and the driver carried her and emersed her feet in water 15 inches +deep. She pluckily stood it without a flinch. Her feet were frozen quite +hard but after 30 minutes they were thawed and we took her back to the +coach where she ate a hearty breakfast and proceeded to Ft. Lyon. At +four o'clock we reached the fort. Miss Withington put on her shoes but +her feet were still too badly swollen to lace her shoes and tie them. +She walked into the station alone, and there lay Mr. Miller, the +passenger of a month ago, who had lost both his feet above the toe +joint. Miss Withington walked up to him and said, "you're a pretty bird, +my feet were frozen as badly as yours, but I 'took to the water' and I +have no doubt but I will be all right." She never suffered much +inconvenience, but Mr. Miller was a life-long cripple. + +Miss Withington, whose name is Hayden now, visited in California in the +year of 1912, just prior to my visit there. I was indeed sorry not to +have met her again. I met her once since that memorable trip when she +suffered frozen feet, and they never troubled her afterwards. + +I always slept on the ground and never suffered with cold. I had buffalo +robes and government blankets. So long as the wind could not get under +the covering and "raise them off" I was comfortable. When the wind was +high, I usually laid our harness over my bed. In case of snow storms, we +would often wake up under a blanket of soft snow, and raise up and poke +our arm through the snow to make an air hole, then go back to +sleep again. + +The wolves would often prowl around our camp and help the mules eat +their corn. Several times I would look out from under my covering and +behold eight or ten wolves eating corn with the mules, and seldom would +ever go to bed without first putting out four or five quarts of corn for +the hungry wolves. One passenger whom I had en route to Santa Fe joked +me about feeding the wolves. He said that I had gotten so accustomed to +feed Indians that I thought to feed the wolves, too. + +[Illustration: LUCIEN MAXWELL.] + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Lucien Maxwell and Kit Carson Take Sheep to California. A Synopsis of +the Life of Mr. Maxwell, a Rich Ranchman. + +Lucien B. Maxwell was a thoroughbred Northerner, having first opened his +eyes in Illinois. He came to New Mexico just prior to the acquisition of +the territory by the United States prior to the granting of the ranch +then known as the Beaubien Grant. He was in the employ as hunter and +trapper for the American Fur Company. + +The ranch, known as the Beaubien Grant, was one of the most interesting +and picturesque ranches in all New Mexico and contained nearly two +million acres of ground, traversed by the Old Trail. + +Lucien Maxwell married a daughter of Carlos Beaubien. Interested in this +large ranch with him was a Mr. Miranda. After the death of his +father-in-law Mr. Maxwell bought all the interest of Miranda and became +the largest land owner in the United States. + +The arable acres of this large estate in the broad and fertile valleys +were farmed by native Mexicans. The system existing in the territory at +that time was the system of peonage. Lucien Maxwell was a good master, +however, and employed about five or six hundred men. + +Maxwell's house was a veritable palace compared with the usual style and +architecture of that time and country. It was built on the old Southern +style, large and roomy. It was the hospitable mansion of the traveling +public, and I have never known or heard of Mr. Maxwell ever charging a +cent for a meal's victuals or a night's lodging under his roof. The +grant ran from the line of Colorado on the Raton mountains sixty miles +south and took in the little town of Maxwell on the Cimarron river. The +place is now known as Springer, New Mexico. + +In the yard at the Maxwell Palace, as we will call his house, was an old +brass cannon, about which we may speak later on. He had a grist mill, a +sutler's store, wagon repair shop and a trading post for the Indians. + +Besides his wife, a Mexican woman, Mr. Maxwell had a nice little girl +eight years old, whom he sent to St. Louis with some friends to go to +school and to learn how to become a "high-bred" lady. In the fall of +1864 on one of my trips to Santa Fe I met Miss Maxwell, then a young +lady about sixteen years old, and took her to her father's house in New +Mexico. As we were crossing the Long Route I asked her if she spoke the +Mexican language. She told me that she had forgotten every word of it. +Everything at the Maxwell ranch had on its holiday finery in +anticipation of the arrival of this young lady and Mrs. Maxwell came to +meet the coach that bore her beloved child. It was one of the most +touching incidents that ever came up in my life, before or since. The +mother reached the coach first and had the girl in her arms, crying and +laughing over her, talking the Mexican language to her, but the girl +never understood one word her mother was saying and the mother was at an +equal loss to know what the daughter spoke to her. At last Mr. Maxwell +greeted his daughter who had grown so much that he could hardly realize +that she was his little girl he had sent to the states to receive the +benefits of education and became at once interpreter between mother +and daughter. + +One year later at Fort Union I met Miss Maxwell and talked with her. She +told me she had mastered the Mexican language and was a fine horsewoman. + +In the year of 1853 Mr. Maxwell and Kit Carson, who was a favorite +friend of Mr. Maxwell and not an unfrequent visitor at his place, went +to California with a drove of sheep. They took the old Oregon trail by +way of Salt Lake, Utah, and arrived in California some four months +later, where they sold their sheep to the miners at a very large price. +As I remember the sum, I think it was in the neighborhood of $100,000. +They met ill luck on their return. They thought they could return +together without being approached by robbers. However, they had been +closely watched and their intentions were pretty well known to a bold +band of robbers then plying between the mines of California and New +Mexico. After they had reached the Old Oregon Trail they were held up +and robbed of all they carried. However, the robbers accommodated them +by giving back their horses, saddles and bridles and enough money for +them to make their return home. + +During my travels across the plains I do not believe that for a distance +of forty-five miles I was ever out of sight of the herds--cattle, +horses, goats, sheep, etc.--belonging to Mr. Maxwell. + +A few weeks after Maxwell and Kit Carson were robbed on the Old Oregon +Trail they got together two other herds of sheep and went again to +California, taking every precaution against the attack of robbers. This +time Kit Carson went the northern route and Lucien Maxwell took the +southern route, arriving in California about seven days apart. They +decided to be strangers during their sojourn in the California town. +Putting up at different camps they disposed of their sheep and made an +appointment to come together again something like a hundred miles +distant, going west toward the Pacific ocean. By these means they hoped +to elude the vigilant eye of robbers and did get home without trouble. + +Mr. Maxwell was one of the most generous men I ever knew. His table was +daily set for at least thirty guests. Sometimes his guests were invited, +but usually they were those whose presence was forced upon him by reason +of his palatial residence, rightfully called the "Manor House," which +stood upon the plateau at the foot of the Rocky mountains. Our stage +coaches were frequently water bound at Maxwell's, and our passengers +were treated like old and valued friends of the host, who, by the way, +was fond of cards. Poker and seven-up were his favorite. However, he +seldom ever played cards with other than personal friends. He often +loaned money to his friends to "stake" with $500 or $1000 if needed. +Some of the rooms in Maxwell's house were furnished as lavishly as were +the homes of English noblemen, while other rooms were devoid of +everything except a table for card playing, chairs and pipe racks. + +There was one room in Maxwell's house which might be called his "den," +however not very applicable. This room had two fireplaces built +diagonally across opposite corners and contained a couple of tables, +chairs and an old bureau where Maxwell kept several thousand dollars in +an unlocked drawer. The doors of this room were never locked and most +every one who came to this house knew that Maxwell kept large sums of +money in the "bureau drawer," but no one ever thought of molesting it, +or if they did, never did it. A man once asked Mr. Maxwell if he +considered his unique depository very secure. His answer was, "God help +the man who attempted to rob me and I knew him!" In this room Maxwell +received his friends, transacted business, allowed the Indian chiefs to +sit by the fire or to sleep wrapped in blankets on the hard wood floor +or to interchange ideas in their sign language with his visitors who +would sit up all night through, fascinated by the Indian guests. If Kit +Carson happened to be at the Maxwell ranch his bed was always on the +floor of this very room and invariably had several Indian chiefs in the +room with him. The Indians loved Kit Carson and liked to see him victor +over the games at the card table. + +Although Lucien Maxwell was a northerner, Mrs. Maxwell was a Mexican and +with all the Mexican etiquette presided over her house. The dining rooms +and kitchen were detached from the main house. One of the latter for the +male portion of their retinue and guests of that sex and another for the +women members. It was a rare thing to see a woman about the Maxwell +premises, though there were many. Occasionally one would hear the quick +rustle or get a hurried view of a petticoat (rebosa) as its wearer +appeared for an instant before an open door. The kitchen was presided +over by dark-faced maidens bossed by experienced old cronies. Women were +not allowed in the dining rooms during meal hours. + +The dining tables were profuse with solid silver table-service. The +table cloths were of the finest woven flosses. At one time when I was +there Maxwell took me to the "loom shed" where he had two Indian women +at work on a blanket. The floss and silk the women had woven into the +blanket cost him $100 and the women had worked on it one year. It was +strictly waterproof. Water could not penetrate it in any way, shape, +form or fashion. + +Maxwell was a great lover of horse-racing and liked to travel over the +country, his equipages comprising anything from a two-wheeled buck-board +to a fine coach and even down to our rambling Concord stages. He was a +reckless horseman and driver. + +After the close of the war an English syndicate claiming to own a large +tract of land in southeastern New Mexico called the Rebosca redunda. He +came to see Mr. Maxwell and instituted a trade with him. Trading him the +"Rebosca Redunda" for his "Beaubien Grant," thereby swindling Mr. +Maxwell out of his fortune. After Mr. Maxwell moved to this place he +found he had bought a bad title and instituted a lawsuit in ejectment, +but was unsuccessful and died a poor man. + +Once during the month of October in the year of 1864, while en route to +Kansas City from the old Mexican capitol, I stopped at Maxwell's ranch +for lunch. + +Mr. Maxwell came out to where I was busy with the coach and told me he +wanted me to carry a little package of money to Kansas City for him and +deliver it to the Wells-Fargo Express Company to express to St. Louis. + +I told him I would take it, but I said, "How much do you want me to +take?" He told me he wanted me to take $52,000. I told him the company +would not like for me to put it in the safe unless it was expressed, but +he said he didn't want to express it. "All right," I said, "unless we +are held up and robbed I will deliver the money to Wells-Fargo Express +Company." "Now," I said, "in what shape is the money?" He pointed to an +old black satchel sitting on a chair and said, "There is the wallet." I +told him to wait until I went into dinner with the passengers, then for +him to go out there and take the satchel and put it in the front boot, +then pull a mail sack or two up over it and on top of that throw my +blankets and buffalo robes which lay on the seat on top of the mail +sacks, then go away and let it alone. Do not let any one see you +do this. + +Let me say that Maxwell's ranch was headquarters of the Ute agency which +was established a long time prior to my traveling through there. A +company of cavalry was detailed by the Government to camp there to +impress the plains tribes who roamed the Santa Fe Trail east of the +Raton range. The Ute tribe was very fond of Maxwell and looked up to him +as children look up to their father. + +One old Indian watched Maxwell put the money in the boot of the stage, +and after he had left to obey my instructions this old Indian who would +have gone through the "firy furnace" for Lucien Maxwell, stood guard +over the stage. I did not know it at that time, but the Indian +afterwards asked me how I made it in? When I came back to the coach I +laid the buffalo robes to one side, then I laid the mail bags to one +side and put the "wallet" as Mr. Maxwell called the old black satchel, +right in the bottom of the boot and laid one mail bag by the side and +laid an old blanket over both these, then piled on the balance of the +mail bags and lastly my buffalo robes. I usually slept during the day +after I took this money. My driver did not even know I had it. At night +I slept right there under the driver's seat in the boot of the coach. At +night I rode, before we quit driving for our rest, on the seat of the +boot with my brace of pistols between me and the driver. + +Within about three miles of Willow Springs, Kansas, a stage station, +twenty-five miles west of Council Grove, I discovered twenty-five horses +hitched to the rack. There was no retreat, so I had to drive right on +in. Just as we drove up twenty-five men came out of the settlers' store +and saloon and mounted. + +One passenger on my coach was acquainted with every man of them. They +were, however, true to my suspicions, a band of the notorious Quantrell +gang, the very ones who had made the raid on Lawrence and killed so many +people after robbing them. My passenger walked up to the gang and said, +"Come on, boys, let's all have a drink before you go." They all returned +with my passenger and drank, but I told the driver I did not want to +leave the coach and for him to grease it and I would fool around about +that so as to dispel suspicion that I was guarding my coach. Before we +were through with the coach the men came back and in my presence asked +the passenger if he believed the coach was worth robbing. "No," he said, +"I have not seen a sign of money." I told the boys that it wasn't worth +robbing, that there was not more than $10 in the safe and that it was +mine. I told him I didn't have much of a haul in the safe, but I said, +"Here's the key, you can go through it if you want to and satisfy +yourself." I laughed and talked with the balance of the boys as if +nothing unusual was taking place. One of the gang took the little old +iron safe, which was about eighteen inches square and weighing about 150 +to 200 pounds, and put it on the seat of the coach and unlocked it. I +had it literally stuffed full of way bills, letters and such other +plunder, together with a little wallet of mine containing $10. The +robber took out the ten dollars and held it up, saying, "Is this what +you referred to, conductor?" I told him that it was. "Well," says he, "I +will not take that, it is not tempting enough." I thanked the +accommodating robber in my nicest way for having left me money to buy a +few dinners with after I got to Kansas City, and they left us. I was +fairly bursting with satisfaction. No one on the stage knew that I had +saved the $52,000 of Lucien Maxwell's. However, boy like, just before we +rolled into Kansas City I told the passengers about the money. + +When we at last had gained Kansas City one of the passengers told Mr. +Barnum about the escapade with the robbers and my success in maintaining +a "bold front" and the "gold dust." Mr. Barnum grunted and said, "Oh, +well, Billy is one of our conductors that is so stubborn that he has to +have everything his own way." Then, he added, "Did you say he gave his +safe keys to the robbers?" "Yes," the passenger said, "he did." Barnum +replied, "I'll be dogged." Then he told the passengers about my having +deposited the mail in the river to make a bridge so I could cross my +coach and eventually to "reach the other side." + +When I returned from the express office where I had been to take the +money, in fulfilment of my promise to Mr. Maxwell, old Tom Barnum and my +passengers were still talking. Barnum approached me, saying, "Been up to +some more of your tricks, have you, Billy?" I told him I had been taking +"poker chips" to the express office, if that was what he meant. They all +had a good laugh; then Barnum requested me to show him the receipt I +gave Maxwell for the money. "Now, Billy," said Barnum, "you're a pretty +bird, you know we would not charge Maxwell a cent for express, for we +never paid him a cent for board or for feeding our mules--but never +mind,"--then he laughed, "oh, that receipt!" + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Kit Carson, My Friend. + +Christopher Carson, known among his friends as simply Kit Carson, was a +Kentuckian by birth, having been born in December, 1809. Kentucky was at +the time of his birth an almost pathless wilderness, rich with game, and +along its river banks the grasses grew so luxuriant that it invited +settlers to settle there and build homes out of the trees which grew in +such profusion. Small gardens were cultivated where corn, beans, onions +and a few other vegetables were raised, but families subsisted, for the +most part, on game with which the forests abound, and the lakes and +rivers were alive with fish. Wild geese, ducks, turkeys, quail and +pigeons swept through the air with perfect freedom. Deer, antelope, +moose, beaver, wolves, catamount and even grizzly bear often visited the +scene of the settler's home, among whom was our friend, Kit Carson. + +Kit Carson had no education. There were no schools to attend other than +the school of "trapping," and he became a trapper and Indian guide and +interpreter. + +When Kit was a small boy his father moved, on foot, so history relates, +to Missouri. At the time of the move, however, there was no state or +even territory of Missouri. France had ceded to the United States the +unexplored regions which were in 1800 called Upper Louisiana. + +Kit's father had a few white friends, trappers and hunters, but the +Indians were numerous. Mr. Carson, together with the other white +families, banded themselves together and built a large log house, so +fashioned as to be both a house and a fort if occasion demanded them to +fortify against a possible foe. The building was one story high, having +port holes through which the muzzles of rifles could be thrust. As +additional precaution they built palisades around the house. This house +was built in what is now Howard County, Missouri, north of the Missouri +river. Christopher Carson at fifteen years of age had never been to +school a day, but he was "one of the Four Hundred" equal to any man in +his district. He was a fine marksman, excellent horseman, of strong +character and sound judgment. His disposition was quiet, amiable and +gentle. One of those boys who did things without boasting and did +everything the best he could. + +At about this stage of his life his father put him out as an apprentice +to learn a trade. The trade he was to learn was that of "saddler." +However, the boy languished under the confinement and did not take to +the business. He was a hunter and trapper by training and nothing else +would satisfy his nature. + +One night about two years later when Kit was a young man eighteen years +old a man who chanced to pass his father's humble home related his +adventures. He told how much was to be earned by selling buffalo robes, +buckskins, etc., at Santa Fe, New Mexico. He drew beautiful word +pictures of wealth that could be attained in the great Spanish capital +of New Mexico, more than a thousand miles from Missouri. + +At last several able-bodied men decided to equip some pack mules and go +to the great bonanza. They intended to live on game which they would +shoot on the way. Kit heard of the party and applied to them to let him +accompany them. They were not only glad of his offer to go, but +considered they had a great need for him because he was so "handy" among +the Indians. It turned out that Kit engineered the whole party. He had a +military demeanor. When the mules were brought up and their packs +fastened upon their backs, which operation required both skill and +labor, it was Kit who ordered the march, which was conducted with more +than ordinary military precision. + +Kit Carson was a beloved friend of several tribes of Indians. He learned +from them how to make his clothes, which he considered were of much more +artistic taste and style and more becoming than the, tightly fitting +store suits of a "Broadway dude" he had once "gazed upon." This suit +that he was so proud of consisted of a hunting shirt of soft, pliable +deer skin, ornamented with long fringes of buckskin dyed a bright +vermillion or copperas. The trousers were made of the same material and +ornamented with the same kind of fringes and porcupine quills of various +colors. His cap was made of fur which could entirely cover his head, +with "port holes" for his eyes and nose and mouth. The mouth must be +free to hold his clay pipe filled with tobacco. It is needless to say +that he wore moccasins upon his feet, beautified with many +colored beads. + +Prior to the year of 1860 I was not personally acquainted with Kit +Carson, but after that year I knew him well. At Fort Union he was the +center of attraction from the first of April, 1865, until April 1st, +1866. Every one wanted to hear Kit tell of exploits he had been in, and +he could tell a story well. Kit loved to play cards and while he was as +honest as the day was long he was usually a winner. He didn't like to +put up much money. If he didn't have a good hand he would lay down. + +Early in the spring of 1865 Carson went with Captain Willis to the +border of the Indian country along the lines of Texas and Arizona in +southwestern New Mexico. This massacre is fully explained on another +page of this book. + +Kit Carson, like Col. A.G. Boone, dealt honestly with the Indians, and +Kit Carson had on several occasions told me that had Colonel A. G. Boone +remained the Indian agent, if he had not been withdrawn by the +government, the great war with the Indians would never have occurred. + +Kit Carson was a born leader of men and was known from Missouri to Santa +Fe--he was one of the most widely known men on the frontier. + +Carson was the father of seven children. He was at the time of his +death, his wife having crossed over the river in April, 1868. His +disease was aneurism of the aorta. A tumor pressing on the +pneumo-gastric nerves and trachea caused such frequent spasms of the +bronchial tubes, which were exceedingly distressing. Death took place at +4:25 p. m. May 23, 1868. His last words were addressed to his faithful +doctor, H. R. Tilton, assistant surgeon of the United States army, and +were "Compadre adois" (dear friend, good bye). In his will he left +property to the value of $7,000 to his children. Kit Carson's first wife +was an Indian Cheyenne girl of unusual intelligence and beauty. They had +one girl child. After her birth the mother only lived a short time. This +child was tenderly reared by Kit until she reached eight years, when he +took her to St. Louis and liberally provided for all her wants. She +received as good an education as St. Louis could afford and was +introduced to the refining influences of polished society. She married a +Californian and removed with him to his native state. + +The Indians of today are possessed with the same ambitions as the +whites. There are Indian lawyers, Indian doctors, Indian school teachers +and other educators, but in the frontier days when from Leavenworth, +Kansas, to Santa Fe the plains were thronged with Indians they were +looked upon as uncivilized and were uncivilized, but were so badly +abused, run out of their homes and were given no chances to become +civilized or to learn any arts. + +The Indians around Maxwell's ranch were mostly a lazy crowd because they +had nothing to do. Maxwell fed them, gave them some work, gave the +squaws considerable work--they wove blankets with a skill that cannot be +surpassed by artists of today. Not only were these Indian women fine +weavers, but they worked unceasingly on fine buckskin (they tanned their +own hides), garments, beading them, embroidering them, working all kinds +of profiles such as the profile of an Indian chief or brave, animals of +all kinds were beaded or embroidered into the clothes they made for the +chiefs of their tribes. These suits were often sold to foreigners to +take east as a souvenir and they would sell them for the small sum of +$200 to $300. Those Indian women would braid fine bridle reins of white, +black and sorrel horse hair for their chiefs and for sale to the white +men. The Indian squaws were always busy but liked to see a horse race as +well as their superior--their chief. A squaw is an excellent mother. +While she cannot be classed as indulgent she certainly desires to train +her child to endure hardships if they are called upon to endure them. +She trains the little papoose to take to the cold water, not for the +cleansing qualities, but for the "hardiness" she thinks it gives him. + +[Illustration] + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +General Carleton Received Orders from Mr. Moore to Send Soldiers' Pay +Envelopes to Him. + +In March of 1865 I made my last trip across the renowned Santa Fe Trail +from Kansas City, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. + +Somewhere on the route between Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Fort Union I +met a Mr. Moore of the firm of Moore, Mitchel & Co. This firm owned a +"sutler's store" at Tecolote, Fort Bliss and Fort Union. The store at +Fort Union was the general supply station for the other named stores. +The stock carried at the supply store amounted to something like +$350,000 to $500,000. This stock consisted of general merchandise. It +was to this store one went to buy coffee, sugar, soda, tobacco and +bacon, calico, domestic, linsey, jeans, leather and gingham, officers' +clothing, tin buckets, wooden tubs, coffee pots, iron "skillets-and +leds," iron ovens, crowbars, shovels, plows, and harness. To this store +the settlers came to buy molasses, quinine, oil and turpentine, +vermillion and indigo blue. Everything used was kept in this one store. +During those times there were no drug stores, shoes stores, dry goods +stores, etc., but everything was combined in one large store. Calico was +sold for $1 per yard, common bleached muslin sold for $2 a yard, +domestic was from $1 to $1.50 and $2 per yard. Sugar sold for 75 cents +to $1 per pound. Coffee brought about the same. Tobacco and cheap pipes +brought stunning prices. + +Mr. Moore rode on with us for an hour or two, then he asked me quite +suddenly, "Aren't you Billy Ryus?" I told him I usually answered to that +name. Then he asked me if I was acquainted with John Flournoy of +Independence, Missouri. I answered, "Yes, we drove the stage over the +Long Route together for six months." Then Mr. Moore said that he wanted +to take me to one side and have a talk with me. Reader, you are well +aware that some men are born to rule--Mr. Moore was one of those men. He +never knew anything superior to his wishes. "What he said went" with the +procession. He even went so far as to order General Carleton, commanding +officer of the troops in that portion of the country, to make the +payment to the soldiers and mechanics at Fort Union through him and let +him pay off the soldiers. These payments would run up to $65,000 or +$75,000 per quarter. Up to the time of his meeting with me no one had +dared to thwart his wishes. + +At his request I walked out a piece from the coach with him, and he +said, "Billy Ryus, I have been on the lookout for you for a year!" I was +astonished, and asked him what he had been looking for me for. His +answer was that he wanted me to stop at Ft. Union on my way back from +Santa Fe and go up to their store and clerk for them. I answered, "Mr. +Moore, that is practically impossible; I can't do it." Then he said, +"you've got to do it, I've spent too much time looking for you already, +you've got to clerk for us." I am a little hot headed myself, and I +answered him as tartly as he spoke to me. "Mr. Moore," says I, "I've got +to do nothing of the sort." Then Mr. Moore cooled down and talked more +like a business man and less like a bully. + +"Now, Mr. Ryus," (I was young then and quickly noticed the Mr. Ryus) +"this is our proposition: We will give you $1000 a year, board, and room +and you can have your clothes at cost. And," he said, "I'll make you a +check right here." I told him that his proposition did not make a bit of +difference to me, for I was working for Mr. Barnum and could not leave +his employ without first giving him thirty days' notice to get a man in +my place. Mr. Moore was quick to respond, "Ah, let that job be +da--ed"--. This side of Mr. Moore's character did not suit me, and I +asked him what he would think of Mr. Barnum if he should stop over at +his store and take one of his employees off without giving him a chance +to get another in his place, and what would he think of the clerk that +would do him that way. I told him that I would not do him that way. Mr. +Moore said that he saw that I was "squeally" but that he saw my point, +and supposed I was right. "Now, Mr. Moore," I said, "when I get into +Santa Fe, if Mr. Barnum is there I will tell him about your proposition, +and if he can let me off now, and will take the stage back to the States +for me, I will take your proposition." He replied, "Well, that's all +right, you come back to us, if you don't get here for sixty days, and we +will pay your expenses here." + +Mr. Moore put the spurs to his horse and galloped out of sight. What my +impression was of Mr. Moore could hardly be expressed. I certainly had +not the slightest feeling of awe--that one of the passengers said he +felt for the man, but I do not know whether or not I felt any great +confidence in him. However, when I came to know him, as I did by being +in his society every day for a year, I found him to be a man of many +sterling qualities. + +Mr. Barnum returned with me from Santa Fe to Ft. Union and went up to +the store with me. Mr. Barnum told me that he regretted that I wanted to +leave his employ, but that if it was to my benefit, he would have to +take the coach in for me and get a man in my place, "but," he added, "I +do not think I will be able to find a man who can make peace with the +Indians, as you have always done." Mr. Barnum told Mr. Moore that he had +never lost a life since I had been doing the driving, and that I had not +only saved the lives of passengers, but that I had saved him money +and time. + +When Mr. Barnum prepared to leave the store, he had the coach driven up +and my things taken off and put in the store, then he turned to me and +held out his hand, saying, "Billy, in making the treaties with the +Indians, such as you have, you have not only saved the lives of many +passengers and won the title of the second William Penn, but you have +endeared yourself to me and to the other boys in this company, and to +all the settlers between Kansas City and Santa Fe." I was greatly +agitated and impressed by his impressive speech, and I thanked him for +his kind words of praise for the services I had given in my small way. + +The morning after Mr. Barnum left, I was feeling a little lonely among +my new surroundings, and Kit Carson sauntered into the room. As soon as +I looked into his kindly eyes I knew I had met a friend, and I also knew +in a moment that it was Kit Carson, of whose fame as an Indian fighter I +had often read. + +I told him that I had heard many tragic tales of his wonderful heroism +among the unfriendly Indians, and he told me that I had heard many a +"da--er lie," too, he reckoned. He never killed an Indian in cold blood +in his life. He told me that if the Indians had not been trespassed +upon, that the great Indian wars would not have become a thing +of history. + +The enormous trade at the "sutler's store" kept us four counter jumpers +continually on the jump for a year. There was no five cent picture shows +to keep the clerks out with their girls there, and the only amusement we +had was to either play cards or billiards, or to sit around and watch +Kit Carson and the boss play. Kit was a fine card player and seldom ever +lost a game, but he would not put up very much. To see him play +billiards was one sport, every time he hit a ball, he would kick his +foot up and say, "A boys, ay." + +This store of Moore's was built like a fort. The walls a 150-foot square +and built of brick. Every thing in New Fort Union was of brick. It was a +two story concern with a rotunda or plaza in the center. Here the wagons +drove in to unload and reload. The front of the store was near the big +gate. It had a safe room, an office and the store room proper. + +One trip per year was made to Kansas City with large mule trains to get +goods to stock these three stores. These trips were sometimes full of +suffering and hardships. Many a freighter left his wife and babies never +to return to them more. They were often killed by Indians who had come +to their trains to get food, but were repulsed by the poor policy of the +wagon bosses who have often ordered the ox drivers to "pull down on the +red devils" and so start trouble, which was often disastrous for the +whites, in view of the fact that the Indians on those plains were +numerous while the white men were few and straggling. + +Sometimes the old Indian squaws would come to the store to buy sugar, +candy, nuts, tobacco or coffee. She would come riding in on her pony as +slowly as her quick footed pony would carry her, greatly interested in +all her eyes beheld. She was greatly attracted by the bright colors of +the calicos and I have often made treaties with the Indians by offering +their squaws some bits of bright ribbon or calico. + +The Mexican women were very fond of bright colors. Their dresses did not +amount to much. They wore a short skirt and rebosa. Their head-dress +covered their hair and came together in front under the chin and hung to +the belt. What dress she wore must be very bright and gaudy and I have +known a pretty Mexican girl with about $2.50 worth of dress on come in +and purchase an $8.00 pair of shoes. If she wanted an extra nice pair of +shoes she said she wanted a pair of shoes "made out of Spanish leather." +Such a pair as would look nice on the dancing floors at their +fandangoes. The serapa takes the place of the American woman's bonnet. + +In 1866 when the war was coming to an end, trade began to get dull. I +had been wanting to get out of the store and "try my wings" at something +else. When I began to cast my eyes about for something different from +the routine of store work, I met a certain Mr. Joe Dillon, who offered +me the opportunity I was seeking. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Joe Dillon and I Go to Montana With Sheep. + +Along about the 15th of March, Joe Dillon, who had been a quartermaster +in the Union army, left the army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the +possessor of $60,000 and a mule train of fifteen wagons, which he had +obtained some way or other, the Devil knows how. He was a peculiar man +and totally unable to keep a man in his employ. He was abusive, bossy +and altogether uncongenial. + +With his train loaded with goods which he got in Kansas City and +Independence, he started with a wagon boss and several men across the +Old Trail to New Mexico, early in the spring of '65, but he had so many +altercations with his teamsters--some quit him, others would do as they +pleased, and altogether he had such a bad time of it that he did not +arrive at Maxwell's ranch until after the snow fell the +following winter. + +Every wagon that passed him brought news of Joe Dillon's troubles to the +fort. When Mr. Dillon came to me in the spring of 1866, I knew him +pretty well by reputation. He approached me and told me that he had +bought 4000 sheep from Lucien Maxwell and wanted to get me to go with +him to Montana to take them. I told him I would like to go, but that I +did not know whether I could get away or not. I would see Mr. Moore. + +"Alright," he said. "I think I will see Mr. Moore, and tell him I want +you to go and boss my crew." I replied that he must do nothing of the +sort, for if he did, Mr. Moore would not let me off willingly. I +explained to him that if I went to Mr. Moore and told him I wanted off, +and gave him a plausible reason, he would let me off without hesitation. +However, Mr. Dillon thought he had about made a "deal" with me and he +went into the office, and told Mr. Moore that he had "hired your clerk" +to go to Montana with his sheep. Mr. Moore told him that "he +guessed not." + +Dillon had agreed with me that he would say nothing to Mr. Moore. So he +came to me in the morning of the day after he first spoke to me about +the deal and said, "Moore said you couldn't go." I was hot all over in a +second. "Mr. Dillon, you agreed not to speak to Mr. Moore about this +matter--it was a matter between he and I, and since your word cannot be +depended upon, our business relations cease right here." I considered +his management bad and his word in honor, worse. Mr. Dillon returned to +Maxwell's ranch and I continued in the store. + +Finally, Mr. Moore approached me on the subject. "Billy," said he, +"thought you were going with Dillon to Montana with his sheep" I then +told him how it came about that I had told Dillon I would speak to him +about it first. We had made no contract, for without first getting Mr. +Moore's consent I would not make any contract with Dillon. + +Now I could readily see that trade had fallen off and I knew that some +of the boys would have to quit and seek other employment. There was one +man there with a large family in the states who received a salary of +$1500 a year. I knew that he did not want to be thrown out of a job, and +I was eager to "try some new experience." So I told Mr. Moore that I had +heard from one of Maxwell's clerks that Dillon did still want me to go +with the sheep, and if he was willing to let me off I would make Dillon +a proposition. "All right, Billy, you can make a proposition with Dillon +and in case you do not carry it out, you need not quit here," said +Mr. Moore. + +Joe Dillon came up the next Thursday night and began to talk to me there +in the store about taking his sheep to Montana. I told him that I would +talk to him about the matter as soon as the store closed that night, but +that I did not want to hear one word of it until that time. + +After the store was closed up I told Mr. Walker to stay with me and hear +my proposition with Dillon, and I wanted him to draw up our contract. I +told Dillon that I would take charge of his sheep under these +stipulations. I would have to have absolute control of the sheep, men, +mess wagons, pack horses and everything else. I would employ the men and +discharge them. I told him I would furnish $700.00 or $800.00 to +properly equip the train, and I would take a bill of sale from him for +all the sheep. I also told him that he would have to go on ahead on the +stage coach, or do as he chose in the matter, that he must absolutely +remain away from our camps and herds while I was in control. After much +deliberation, he agreed to my terms, and we signed up. + +I filled an ox wagon with bacon, flour, salt, soda, tobacco and saddles. +Mr. Dillon watched me put tobacco on the wagon and said I was loading +unnecessary stuff on the wagon. I told him that I would need all the +bacon and the tobacco, and perhaps several head of sheep to make my +treaties with the Indians when I took my sheep through their +reservations. Now this little speech brought a sneer to the face of my +venerable partner. "No use of making treaties with the Indians; you get +a military escort without paying anything out." I told him no military +escort would need to travel with me. + +About the middle of April I received the 3000 head of sheep from +Maxwell's ranch and took my assistant, Mark Shearer to Calhoun's ranch +to get the other 1000 head. I had left the camp in good trim there near +Maxwell's and everything was progressing nicely with my sheep on the +grass with good herders. At Calhoun ranch we were delayed on account of +Calhoun having to shear the sheep. However, after four days' delay we +started back toward Maxwell's. Joe Dillon met us not far from camp and +told me he had discharged four of my men and paid off two in tobacco and +the other two men would not take tobacco. He said that he had hired four +more in their place. One was a hunter and he had agreed to give him $80 +per month to keep the men in provisions. The other was a blacksmith +which he thought we might need after we started over the mountains. + +"Now, Joe, do you think you can discharge a man without paying him off?" +I asked him. "Well," he said, "I didn't have the money on hand to pay +him with." I told him that his meddling with these men did not suit me, +and that I did not want his four men, moreover, I said, "I will not move +a peg from camp with them. I employ my drivers and I discharge them." + +When we got into camp the hunter had killed a jack rabbit, all the meat +he had provided since he was employed four days before. After +reinstating my men and making Mr. Dillon understand that his place was +at the other end of the line, where he might as well be enjoying himself +until our arrival in Montana, we started on our journey. + +Dillon went on the stage to Kansas City and en route to Kansas City he +fell in with a sharper at Bent's old fort, and told him that he had a +drove of 7000 sheep coming. The sharper had 20 blooded brood mares and a +stallion, and bantered Dillon for a trade. They made the trade and +Dillon gave the "shark" a bill of sale for the sheep with the provision +that I would agree to it. + +When we got within nine miles of Denver we camped for dinner. While we +sat around our "picnic spread" a couple of men drove up in a buggy and +asked if Mr. Ryus was there. I told him to "alight" and take a few +refreshments with us, that I was Mr. Ryus. He told me to come out to the +buggy, he wanted to talk with me. I told him that "this is my office, +out with whatever you've got to say." He then asked me if the sheep were +Mr. Dillon's. I told him they certainly were not. They were mine. Then +he buckled up. "No, Mr. Ryus, they aren't your sheep, they are mine. I +bought them at Bent's old fort from Joe Dillon, and I am going to take +possession of those sheep and take them to Denver and sell them." I told +him that "maybe he would and maybe he wouldn't; we would see about +that." I then asked him what he gave for the sheep. He told me he had +traded some blooded horses and a stallion for them. I then asked him if +he was dealing for himself or for other parties. He told me he was +dealing for himself. "For how much are your horses mortgaged?" I asked +him. "Oh, something like $4000," he replied. I told the "horse trader" +that it wasn't worth while to take up any more time. As for my part, I +had rather think of my buffalo steak right then, and if he didn't want +to get out of the buggy and come and eat with us, to "drill on" toward +Denver, that me, the boys and the sheep were going to Montana. He said, +"Alright, Mr. Ryus, we will drill on, as you say, but we will take +possession of those sheep before you get into Denver." I told him to +"crack his whip," and to go to that warm place from which no "hoss +trader" returned if he wanted to, but for him not to interfere with me +or the sheep. Away he went. My temper was at its best and thoroughly +under control, so I told the boys to not feel the least alarm, no +"yaller backed hoss trader" would get those sheep, without getting into +a "considerable tarnatious scrap" with Little Billy. + +It seemed that we were destined to have several visitors before we +arrived in Denver. This time we had camped for supper and a lonely +looking half starved individual put in his appearance with a saddle on +his back. He asked me if he could get some supper with us and I told him +to "lay to," and he then asked me if I knew him. I told him I knew him +but it would not be to his disadvantage. + +A few days before this I had seen an account in the paper where a Mr. +Service had shot and killed a Mexican. I told him that there was already +a reward out for $1,000 for him. I told him he needn't say a word about +the affair to the boys, and I wouldn't. He told me that he had killed +the Mexican because he couldn't avoid it. It seemed that a very rich +Mexican with a twenty-wagon train and 100 yoke of oxen had stopped near +the little ranch of Service and Miller to cook their meals. He had +unyoked his cattle and driven them to the creek for water and instead of +returning by the route he had gone, threw down the fence and was driving +his oxen through Service's ten-acre corn patch. The corn was up about +two feet high and the cattle were literally ruining the corn. Mr. +Service attempted to drive the cattle off the corn, but the Mexican +hollowed to his peons to drive them on through. Mr. Service told him to +either pay the damage that his oxen had done his corn or drive them off. +The Mexican told him he would do neither. By this time Mr. Service was +thoroughly angry and told the Mexican that he would either take the oxen +off the corn or one or the other of them would die. Mr. Service was +unarmed at the time and he wheeled his horse around and went to the +house and got what money they had there and his rifle and returned and +shot the Mexican dead. He then made the peons drive the cattle away, and +he started for Maxwell's ranch on his pony. After reaching the foothills +of the mountains he dismounted and threw rocks at his horse to make it +leave, then he scrambled on a few miles through the young timber until +he came to a hanging rock under which there was a kind of cave. He crept +into this place to rest and snatch sleep if possible. + +In the meantime the Mexicans belonging to the train gathered up all the +Mexicans they could find scattered through the country, and without +molesting the partner of Service, started out to hunt him. Service said +that the Mexicans were so close to where he was lying that he could hear +every word of their conversation in that still, isolated place. He knew +from their talk they were going on to Maxwell's ranch where they +supposed they would find him. About ten o'clock that night he crept out +of his hiding place and crawled and slipped until he reached Maxwell's +ranch, then he went into the stable where Maxwell kept his favorite race +horse and led him out far enough from the house to be safe, then he +jumped on him and rode him until the faithful animal laid down and died +of exhaustion. He was left on foot some 75 miles east of where I was. +Service was so weak and exhausted from worry, lack of sleep and +nourishment that his condition was pitiable. We had to watch him for +twenty-four hours to keep him from over-eating. + +One ox driver who was an Irishman by the name of Johnnie Lynch came to +me and told me that the other ox driver had told him he knew who Service +was and that he said he was going to "give him up" when they reached +Denver and that when we got into Denver, they were going to "give him +up" and collect the $1,000 reward for him. Johnnie Lynch said that he +did not want to see Service put in irons, and that he thought Service +did no more than was right. "Wan more of those devilish Mexicans out uv +th' way don't hurt nohow," was his comment. "Now, Johnnie," says I, "you +go to my assistant, Mark Shearer, and tell him to tell the wagon driver +that if he undertakes to hand Service over to the authorities at Denver, +that he will kill him." When we got to within five miles of Denver, Mark +Shearer went around to the driver and told him to get back in the wagon, +and if he stuck his head outside that wagon sheet, he would use it for a +target. The driver was a born coward and quietly obeyed and remained +under the wagon sheet until we were forty miles beyond Denver when Mark +told him to "come to" now and try to be a man. + +The next night after Service came to our camp, he wanted to help stand +guard over the sheep at night with Barney Hill, my night herder. He said +he couldn't sleep nights. Barney told him to lie down and go to sleep, +that he would let no one harm him. He went to sleep and along about +eleven o'clock, he began to yell, "There they come, there they come, the +Mexicans, etc.," and he fired his revolver and made a general stir. We +managed to quiet him down. He was delirious and only half awake. For two +months Service got along all right. + +When we arrived at the North Platte River the snow had melted so the +river was running very fast. We attempted to cross the sheep on the +ferry. 125 sheep were placed on the ferry boat and across we started. +_Out_ 500 feet from the landing on the east side where we went in, the +ferryman got afraid the sheep were too far forward and would tip the +boat, so he attempted to push them back, and pushed some of the sheep +off in the river. All the sheep then made a rush to follow the +unfortunate ones. Barney Hill, who was on the back end of the boat, got +knocked off and could not swim and the boys had a good laugh at him +climbing over the sheep, looking like a drowned rat trying to get out of +a molasses barrel. Dick Stewart was a good swimmer and so he landed back +on the boat. + +After this load full, the boatman would not ferry any more sheep over +and we were compelled to swim them. We would call the goat and tell him +to go into the water. The goat would strike for the opening on the +opposite side of the river, but goat or no goat, the sheep would not +attempt the swim unless the sun was shining. The mountains rose right at +the edge of the river, consequently the sun only struck the river from +eleven o'clock a.m. to two o'clock p.m. and we could only put over 150 +or 200 sheep at a time. This operation took six days to perform. Getting +4000 sheep over a river under these trying conditions were anything but +pleasant, even in those days, when we knew no better method. + +At this ferry a funny incident occurred. I had a sorrel, blazed face +mule, and while we were crossing the sheep an old Irishman on his way to +Montana with a white pony and a blazed face mule, the very picture of my +mule, crossed the river on the ferry. I saw the Irishman's lay-out, but +Johnnie Lynch did not see the mule. The next morning I told Johnnie to +go out to the herd and bring my mule in. The old Irishman had camped +near us and had picketed his mule out but did not know I had a mule so +near like his. Johnnie saw the Irishman's mule picketed out about half +way between our camp and our herd, and he pulled up the picket and +started on to the camp with the mule. Pretty soon the angry old Irishman +came up behind Johnnie and knocked him down for trying to steal his +mule. Johnnie ran into camp and got my carbine and started for the +Irishman, I ran after him and asked him what he was "up to" and he told +me he had my mule coming in with it and the Irishman had accosted him +and knocked him down and took the mule away from him. About that time +the Irishman had come "along side" me and explained his position. He +said Johnnie had stolen his mule and that he was going to get his men +and hang him. Mark Shearer then begun an explanation but the two +Irishmen were on the "war path" and explanations were out of order. When +we finally got them straightened out, they had no very friendly feeling +for each other, and inwardly made up their minds to--BLANKETY-BLANK + +The day I crossed my two wagons across the River, the Irishman was on +the boat with his mule Packed with provisions and clothing. Johnnie +Lynch was driving one yoke of oxen. I saw the Irishman raise his gun off +of the floor and put It to his shoulder as though he was going to Shoot. +I leveled my pistol on him and told him To drop the gun or he was a dead +man. He dropped the gun and I made him walk between the wagons. Mark +Shearer picked up the gun, took the cap off of it, wet the powder in the +tube and handed it back to the old fellow and told him to make no more +attempts to kill a man. We took one direction at the forks of the road +and he took another. + +About 300 miles beyond this ferry we met the white pony returning but we +never saw any more of the Irishman. It is very probable that he "met his +Waterloo" somewhere in the boundless plains. We encountered a band of +the Sioux and Ute Indians, some of the same tribe that had killed +General Custer. Something like 150 or 200 came to camp. A few of them +could talk English. At the time they came to the camp, they were in a +strange mood. It took some courage and diplomacy on my part to keep my +men encouraged and to appear at ease with the Red Men. + +I went up to the chief and told them I had a large drove of sheep to +take to Montana, and that I must necessarily pass through their hunting +grounds, but was willing to pay them for the liberty I was taking. This +seemed to please the Indians and I told them we would eat before we +proceeded to business. We soon had some bacon, bread and coffee ready +which we offered to our guests before we began to eat. After they had +the first "helping" then we all began to eat our rations, after which we +passed the corn cob pipes and tobacco and while we talked we smoked. I +gave them two caddies of tobacco, 200 pounds of bacon, a hundredweight +of flour, several papers of soda, several pounds of salt, and a large +bucket of coffee. + +One Indian said that in order to preserve peace and to protect us on our +route ten of them would travel with us through the wildest portion of +the country. + +The strange escort remained with us two days, and when we were almost to +Fort Bridger, one of the Indians said that we would have no trouble +until after we had passed Fort Bridger and he did not think we would +encounter any perils even then. + +When they were determined to decamp, I took ten silver dollars out of my +pocket, and gave each one of them a silver dollar. This pleased the +Indians greatly and they shook hands with me and departed. + +When we arrived in Fort Bridger I had my sheep driven on past the fort, +and stopped to see the commanding officer. I asked him what their rules +were for traveling through the Indian country. He told me that a large +caravan of 200 wagons would start out in a few days and I would have to +drive the sheep on outside of the fort where I could get good range for +the sheep and wait until the other emigrants came up. I thanked him, but +I told Mark Shearer that I believed we could make it alright without the +caravans. So on we started. The sheep didn't have to be driven; they +drove us. By daylight those sheep were always ready to go on toward +their goal. They would pick and run ahead seldom ever stopping until +about the middle of the day. It was our rule to stop and eat or rest +when the sheep started. Truth is stranger than fiction, and it is the +truth that we would often make thirty-five or forty miles a day with +those sheep. The herdsman would follow the goat and the sheep followed +the goat. When the sheep were a little too industrious, the herdsman +made the goat lay down, then the sheep would lay down all around him. +Sometimes they would lay down about five or six o'clock, then we would +eat. But if they got up and started on we went, and they seldom ever +stopped to rest until eight or nine o'clock. The four drives averaged +from seven to ten miles a drive. In making this trip from Maxwell's +ranch in New Mexico to Virginia City, Montana, I crossed seventeen +rivers with those sheep and arrived in Virginia City with less than 100 +sheep short. I sold a few to the Snake Indians for from $5 to $8 each. +Of course, this was in trade, but it pleased them equally as well as if +it had been a gift. + +The next band of Indians we came into after leaving the Sioux, were the +Snake Indians. They were situated on the Snake River one hundred miles +from Virginia City. Snake River is one of the most important tributaries +of the Columbia. Instead of making a treaty with these Indians, I traded +them sheep and a caddy of tobacco for buffalo robes and deer skins, and +they seemed as well satisfied as if I had given them the sheep and +tobacco gratis. + +About one hundred miles from where we met the Snake Indians, we came to +a toll bridge. Here I met my worthy partner for the first time since I +had sent him on his "way rejoicing." Mr. Dillon had told the keeper of +the toll bridge that he had seven thousand sheep on the road and they +would have to pass over his toll bridge. + +The keeper of the toll bridge was on the lookout for us because the +report that Dillon had made would swell his finances $350. Inasmuch as +the toll across the bridge was 5c per head. When we arrived at the +bridge the keeper told me his charge would be $350. I told him I could +not pay the price, but he said Dillon would pay the toll. I asked him +what Dillon had to do with the sheep. "Why," he said, "they are Dillon's +sheep." I told him they were not Dillon's sheep, they were mine, and I +showed him my bill of sale. He said that nevertheless they were Dillon's +sheep. I asked him to describe Joe Dillon to me. He did so, and did it +to a "tyt." "Now," I said to him, "you go up on the hill and count those +sheep." They were laying down up on the hill in a kind of a swag. + +There was a Missourian there and he told the keeper he was a sheep man, +that his father was a large Missouri stock man, and that he could +approximate the number at a glance. The way those sheep lay together, it +did not look as if there was more than 1000 sheep. I asked him if he +thought there was over a thousand sheep there and he said he did not +think there were. The toll keeper said that when those sheep went +skipping across the bridge, it "looked goldarned like there mout be a +million uv 'em, and they must 'a bin three mile long, be blasted." + +"Well," I said, "of course you can count them." "Yes," he said, "I have +counted lots of sheep, and will count them." I went up to the station +and made arrangements that if he did not succeed in counting the sheep, +I would pay him $75 in tobacco or sheep, but that I had no money. The +toll keeper said he would neither take sheep nor tobacco, "but," he +said, "I will take a draft on the Virginia City Bank for $75.00." I told +the driver to drive the sheep across. "First," I said, "you get the goat +up and start him off, then keep the sheep just as close together as you +can and hop them across in a 'whoop.'" He did this and it was impossible +for the "counter" to count them. + +About 300 miles from this bridge, Mr. Service quit me. He bought a half +interest in a stock of cattle and in a toll road in that section, and I +heard no more from him until some 25 years later, when he again leaped +into the limelight. + +It seems that he had made a wise purchase because so many trains passed +over his toll road. He traded his fat cattle to the immigrants for their +poor plugs. He bought up all the poor cattle he could and would fatten +them and trade them off for three or four poor, jaded animals. The +profits were enormous. + +On our route from this toll bridge there was no particular incident +occurred. Virginia City was a fine little village of about 3500 +inhabitants. The estimate of gold taken out of the creeks running +through Virginia City was $100,000,000, mostly placer diggings, but it +was entirely abandoned at this time. + +However, at the time we were there with the sheep, there was about +thirty Chinamen prospecting a lot of 200 square feet. The price set to +them by the owner was $3000. He took $200 down and $200 per week until +the $3000 was paid. The man they bought from agreed to see they had the +right to use the water in the creek. The superintendent of the Chinamen +had this man go with them to the mayor of the city to ask the city to +protect them. The mayor then called on the city marshall and they agreed +to see that the Chinamen were not molested from getting the water from +the creek. The stream was very small and did not have very much water, +so the owners built a little dam and put in a tread wheel for the +purpose of raising the water, so as to have a fall of water to wash the +dirt in their sluice box. + +After they had mined two weeks, twenty-five or thirty white miners +concluded that the Chinamen shouldn't work in the territory and they +went above the Chinamen on the creek--about 500 yards or so, and built a +large dam across the creek with a wide opening, and put in their gate +and stopped the Chinamen from getting water. + +When the Chinamen were thus shut off, they went to the mayor with their +complaint. The mayor promised to investigate the matter, and told them +to go on prospecting on their other lots farther down the creek for the +purpose of seeing what other property they would want to buy, while he +investigated the cause of trouble. + +The mayor and the marshall knew what the miners were up to, but said +nothing then about it. They were aware that the miners wanted to raise +the big gate and let the water all out at once. + +There was an old building fairly close to the dam the white miners had +built, and the marshall and two other men secreted themselves in the old +house to watch the dam. At about one o'clock in the morning, two men +went in there with their crow-bars to raise the gate so all the water +could waste, and wash out the Chinamen's machinery. + +Slipping upon the miners engaged in their work of depredation, the +marshall pulled his gun on them, and marched, them to the city lockup. +The next morning a few of the miners got together and were going to +release the miners in the lockup. Then the mayor ordered the fire bells +rung and sent runners out over the city calling the people together. +Among the people who came to the "consultation" were many miners. The +marshal let the men out of the "cooler," and took their names, then the +mayor made a speech to the citizens and got their sentiments. He asked +the citizens as a community if it would not be better to let the +Chinamen alone and let them work their property, than to drive them out +and destroy their dam. He wanted the opinion of the people. He wanted to +know how many of the citizens were willing to let the Chinamen alone and +let them continue to operate their property. + +The citizens who wanted the Chinamen let alone were about ten to one of +the miners. + +The mayor now called on two or three prominent speakers of the city to +make a talk before the people who told why they believed the Chinamen +should be left alone, then the mayor called on a representative of the +miners to tell the people why they should want to ruin the Chinamen's +work. None of the miners would reply. + +That night the Council passed an ordinance prohibiting, under severe +pains and penalties, the willful destruction of property, and +consequently the Chinamen were left to pursue their work. The dam proved +an immense benefit to the city and surrounding country, and other people +began mining their lots, and using the water that had collected during +the night and saving it over, several mines were supplied with water. + +I was in a hurry to settle up with Mr. Dillon at this time and get +started back to the States, going by the way of Salt Lake City in +company with two men who were going through with an ambulance. I +remained in Salt Lake City two weeks when the roof on the Great Mormon +Temple as about three-fourths finished. At the time I was there, the +temple was about four feet above the ground and workmen had been +continuously at work for seven years. Up to that time, I was the only +Gentile who had ever explored the underground workings of the temple. I +went from Salt Lake to Denver. + +I had calculated to preempt a hundred and sixty acres of land in or +about Denver, and stopped over there for a few days. At that time I +could have taken 160 acres where the Union Depot now stands about the +center of the city of Denver. However, like many another boy, I took a +sudden notion to go home and see Mother first, and before I took +possession of this valuable "dirt," I pulled out on the first coach +going toward Kansas City. Stage fare cost me nothing because I rode with +Barnum-Vickeroy & Veil. + +When we got to Booneville, where I used to live with Colonel A.G. Boone, +when I drove the stage on the Denver line, the old Colonel insisted that +I stay with him. He said he had 2,500 head of sheep, half of which with +all the increase, would be mine, if I would stay and take care of them +five years. I told him that I had planned to homestead a 160 acres up +near Denver and that as soon as I had had my visit with my mother I +wanted to go to Denver, and could not take up his proposition. + +At that time Colonel Boone talked a great deal about the Indians. He +told me they were being shamefully treated; that the soldiers were +making war on them, etc., and said that it was his opinion that if the +Government would put a guard around the white people and keep them from +shooting the Indians, there would be no more Indian troubles. + +He told me that the conductors along the Long Route between Fort Lyon +and Fort Larned, were having no end of trouble. He told me that several +tribes had asked him about me, and said they seemed curious to know +whether or not I would ever return. + +After we left Colonel Boone's place, going toward Independence, we met +several tribes, some of whom knew me just as soon as they "got their +eyes on me," but I did not understand their language, and their +interpreter told me that they wanted to know if I was coming back on the +route. Several spoke about Colonel Leavenworth and Satanta and asked for +news concerning the Little White Chief, for that was the way they loved +to remember their little boy friend. + +There was something like 45 or 50 Indians in this gang, and the driver +was anxious to get rid of them, for he was not only afraid of them, +because of the trouble they had been having with the Long Route +conductors, but they wanted to be "driving on" getting nearer their +destination. I told the driver to let me manage the Indians and we would +"pull through" all right. + +I told the Indians to sit down around us and I would get some coffee for +them and a very small lunch. The conductors never had anything hardly, +and gave the Indians nothing but abuse. I managed to get together from +the conductor's mess, a small lunch, which they ate, and I invited them +to go with us to our next stopping place, fifteen miles distant, and eat +with us properly. + +On our way to the next stopping place, however, these Indians were +joined by other small bands which kept collecting. When we camped for +lunch and to let our mules go out to eat, the Indians let their ponies +graze, also. As provisions were scarce, we had a very slim meal, but +were all good humored over it. + +When the coach was ready to resume its journey, I shook hands with every +one of the Indians and told them I was going to the States and wanted +that they come to see us there. There were eight other passengers, +besides myself, on the coach, who laughingly said that they had crossed +the plains several times and had never witnessed such a scene between +white man and Indian, only when they traveled with me. + +There were five conductors. Four conductors were on the road all the +time and one resting all the time. In other words, while one conductor +rested one week, the other four worked until the time came for him to +rest and the other work. We usually rested either in Kansas City +or Santa Fe. + +Before leaving this chapter, I desire to tell my readers what brought +Mr. Service into the limelight again. About twenty-five years after he +killed the Mexican, he sold out his ranch and cattle and took the money +he had on hands, which amounted to something like $43,000.00, and +deposited it in the Denver National Bank of Denver, Colorado, and went +to Springer, New Mexico, in the locality of where he had killed the +Mexican. He went to the sheriff and asked him if he had ever heard of +the man, Service, wanted in that country for the murder of the rich +Mexican. The sheriff told him that he "guessed" that the murder had +occurred before his day, but that he had heard of it, and it must date +some thirty years back. + +Mr. Service asked the sheriff if the murderer had ever been back there +to stand trial, and whether or not the reward that had been offered at +the time of the murder was still good? "No," the sheriff said, "I do not +think the reward would be any good." The sheriff went on to tell Mr. +Service that he had been told by persons who claimed to have knowledge +of the matter, that Service had served his country well to have killed +the Mexican. + +"Mr. Sheriff," said Mr. Service, "I am the man who killed that Mexican." +The sheriff looked him over and said, "that can't be, you are too old a +man for that." Mr. Service had whiskers 12 inches long and perfectly +gray. His features were so transformed that his old partner did not +recognize him. Mr. Service told the sheriff that nevertheless, he was +the man, and that the reward had been offered for. + +Mr. Service told the sheriff that he wanted to "give up" and gave him +$200 and asked him to hire a good lawyer for him because he was +unacquainted in the section, and I want you to take out a warrant +against me. I want to be legally acquitted of crime and be a "free man +once more." + +After talking to the sheriff, he went to see his old partner, who did +not recognize him. He told him that he had more of the worldly goods +than the ranch was worth, but would like to have a settlement, and +invoice his own belongings, as well as the property his partner had +gotten together since their separation, and said they would strike a +balance and have a settlement. The old partner, whose name I have +forgotten, said, "no, I won't do it," he said, "you took the money from +the house when you left, and I had to pay Maxwell for his race horse." +"Very true," said Mr. Service, "you have had use of the farm these long +years, and would that compensate you for what you have paid out?" But, +he added, "the hay on the place has brought you about $2,000 a year, and +I think it is best for us to have a settlement." The partner would hear +to no settlement being arrived at, saying that he should have what was +there. "Well," said Service, "we will pass receipts." Each took a +receipt from the other, shook hands and bade the other good-bye. Mr. +Service was a broad-minded, liberal fellow, and had fully intended to +resume the partnership with his partner and share and share alike in his +money earned while he was away from the ranch. "By-the-bye, I will let +you look over this small book," said Mr. Service as he handed his bank +book showing the balance due him at the National Bank of Denver. "Why," +said the partner, "you have $43,000 in this book to your credit." "Yes, +sir," said Mr. Service, "had we invoiced our goods together, half this +amount would have been yours together with other moneys I have in other +banks." That talk completed the settlement and while the partner was +completely crestfallen, Service shaved and became a white man and free +citizen of the States. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Daugherty, a Silk and Linen Drummer, Contracts to Build a Cellar. + +At Fort Zara I met another old friend. Bill Daugherty was there keeping +the station. Nothing would do him but I should stay over there a week or +so. Daugherty was a natural born Irishman who had "kissed the Blarney +stone," full of wit and humor. He went to the coach and took my "grip +sack" off and took it to the house, and said I had to stay. I liked that +first rate, but I did hate to lose the time. + +Daugherty came to Kansas in 1862, drumming for a house that sold fine +linens, laces and silks, and had never done anything but sell silks, +etc. He was sitting in a kind of a tavern one morning and chanced to see +an advertisement in the paper that struck his "funny side." A gentleman +living at the corner of Fifth and Shawnee Streets in Leavenworth, +Kansas, had advertised for a contractor to build him a cellar, and the +advertisement said that none "but experienced contractors need apply." +The drummer, Bill Daugherty, decided he would call upon the gentleman +who wanted "an experienced contractor." When he arrived at the place +specified in the advertisement he found it to be a large general +merchandise store. Daugherty introduced himself to the proprietor of the +place and told him that he was an experienced contractor. "And," said +Daugherty, "I see you are in a hurry for the cellar, sure and I am the +laddie that can build that cellar quicker than a bat can wink its eye. +I'm from auld Ireland, and conthracting is me pusiness." The merchant +told him that he wanted the cellar built right away, and showed him the +ground he wanted it built on--which adjoined his business house on the +corner. Daugherty asked the merchant how much time he would allow him to +build the cellar in, and the merchant told him not longer than eight or +ten days. "Well," said Bill, "I will do it in less time." + +"Now, sir, you furnish me the tools, shovels, picks, wheelbarrows, and +running plank to the number I want, and I will go to work on your +cellar, Friday, if you will give me $100." The merchant said he could +not afford to give more than $80 for the job and that he would have to +take $20 in trade. "Alright, py golly," Bill answered, "I will take the +job that way, providing you put it in writing." The contract was drawn +up and said that the cellar was to be commenced on at 7 o'clock Saturday +morning. The merchant was to furnish all tools or pay for the tools +Daugherty bought up to a certain given number. Friday night Daugherty +had all his tools on the "job" and made everything ready to commence +work Saturday morning. Bright and early Saturday morning Bill was there +and he had two wagons from the saloon on the ground also. + +Thursday evening when he first made the agreement to build the cellar, +he went to the saloon and told the "Bys" to come to Fifth and Shawnee +Streets Saturday, that he was going to give a "B," and it was to be the +best time, and the liveliest time, and the finest "B" they ever saw. He +told the boys at the saloon all about his contract with the merchant, +and as they were mostly Irish, they quickly agreed to help out with +the plan. + +Bill Daugherty had the saloon man send down four bartenders, and he had +a keg of beer placed at equal distances apart with mugs and glasses and +the bartenders to draw the beer, and the fun commenced. Before seven +o'clock more than fifty men were on the job. The alley behind the store +building was five feet under grade and he put running plank on the +ground from the front of the ground running into the alley, and put four +wheel-barrows on them and a set of men shoveling. The work progressed +nicely with the Irishmen working and drinking and singing. Bill +Daugherty was in his glory and the old merchant was "feel-n' blue." Bill +kept encouraging his workmen telling them that some "great big doin's +was a-comin' off along about eaten' time." The restaurant man came with +a fine dinner and furnished everything in the eating line but the +coffee, and the saloon man was there with the "drinks." + +At one o'clock they all started to work and at 4 o'clock that afternoon +they had completed the cellar, and the engineer had inspected it, and +passed his judgment that it was a "good job." Daugherty went in the +store to get "paid off," he was feeling pretty good. + +He told the merchant that he wanted a nice vest for himself, a pair of +shoes, and a shirt and hat. Then, he told the merchant that he wanted to +see a fine paisley shawl, one that "you would like to see your wife +wear." The merchant showed him an $8 shawl, but it did not please the +fancy of old Bill Daugherty. "Show me a shawl that you would be pleased +to see your wife wear, one that you would be proud to see her wear to +church, that old shawl is not genteel." This time the merchant took down +a $16 shawl and after close examination, and the assurance that it was +the best one he had in the house, Daugherty accepted the shawl. "Now," +said Daugherty, "I want my cash." The merchant counted out the balance +of the money to him, and said he would wrap the shawl for the +"contractor." The merchant began to wrap the shawl up for Bill and Bill +told him that "that won't do, a lady wouldn't have a fine shawl wrapped +up like that, let me ahold of the strings and fine papers." Daugherty +called for tissue paper, he wrapped his purchase up neatly and then +called for ribbon with which to tie it. He wanted green and red ribbons. +After encasing the article in the tissue paper bound around with +ribbons, he put a piece of wrapping paper about it, and left the store, +and its room full of amused spectators. + +Bill went from the store straight to the home of the old merchant and +told the wife of the merchant that he was "frash from auld Ireland, and +that he had one shawl left, from his large stock, that he would sell her +real cheaply. He commenced to talk to the lady, and all the time he was +talking he was unwinding the papers from around the shawl. She looked at +him in amazement, and he told her that he had sold out a large +collection of fine shawls that he had brought from Paris, and that her +husband had seen this shawl and greatly admired it, and that he had said +to him in the presence of several other men, that he would like to see +his wife wear a shawl like it." She told him that the shawl must be +very choice. + +At last the wrappers were all off the shawl, and he threw it about her +shoulders and told her to look in the glass. He slapped his hands +together, saying, "beautiful, beautiful--real Parisian." On talked the +talkative Bill, until at last he saw he had won the lady to his view of +thinking that she was a real Parisian figure with the shawl gracefully +draped about her shoulders, and she asked him what he would take for it. + +He told her that she could have it for just $65. and before she could +catch her breath, he wheeled her about where she could see her profile +in the glass, and told her to "just look at the reflection, could +anything be handsomer?" He told her that it was the last one he had, and +was cheap at the price, that her husband had said so, and that he said +he would like to see her wear it. + +She paid the money for it and he departed. He met one of his cronies +down the street and told him about the transaction. "Now," said he, "you +go down and tell him that he had better come over to the saloon and +treat, and I will have the other boys over there hidden in the back +room, and we will all get a glass and + +"All go down to Rowser, to Rowser, to Rowser, We'll all go down to +Rowser and get a drink of beer." + +Well, the merchant "fell to" and the treats cost him in round figures +the sum of $11.00. When Daugherty left to catch his stage out from there +to Fort Zara, he was still treating the crowd, and getting pretty +full, himself. + +After the affair at Leavenworth, Bill Daugherty came to Kansas City on +the boat, and asked the stage company if they needed a man to care for +some of their stations. Mr. Barnum employed Bill and he went to Fort +Zara, out among the Indians, where Bill's tongue helped him to get along +very nicely with them. + +When he chanced to allude to Fort Leavenworth, he always told the story +of his "contracting" at Leavenworth on the corner of Fifth and Shawnee +Streets. Out there at Fort Zara, Bill enjoyed himself as only Irishmen +can, but his stumbling block was Captain Conkey, who was the biggest +crank on earth, "take it from me," for he and I had a little "set-to." +Daugherty always sent his "red, white and blue regards to the old +merchant" by whosoever went to Leavenworth. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +Captain Conkey. + +Captain Conkey was a "jackass" to make a long story short. He had a +company of soldiers at Fort Zara for the purpose of escorting the mail +from one station to another. Once on my way East with a coach full of +passengers, a snow storm began to rage, at about four o'clock in the +afternoon, soon after I had left Fort Larned. It snowed so hard that at +8 o'clock we couldn't tell where the road was, and the passengers took +it time and about with me running along the road in front of the coach +to find the road. + +We got to Fort Zara at ten o'clock that night, the orderly sergeant came +after the mail about 500 yards from the soldiers' camp. I told the +sergeant that I wanted an escort at nine o'clock in the morning. He gave +Captain Conkey my orders and the Captain told him to go back and arrest +me and put me in chains. The First Lieutenant told the Captain that I +would be there in the morning; that they had no place to sleep me, so +the Captain let me alone that night, but the next morning he sent his +orderly after me. When the orderly came to the station, he said to me, +"that old fool of a captain sent me down here to arrest you." I asked +him what he wanted with me. The orderly told me that he was to arrest me +for ordering an escort. I told the orderly to "fire away," I would go +over and see the old "mossback." + +Their quarters was a little dugout in the side of the hill along the +river bank. They had a gunny sack for the door, and I went into the +first room, which was used for a kitchen, and the cook told me to go to +the next room, it had a gunny sack door, too, the First and Second +Lieutenants were in there. They told me to go on to the next room that +the Captain's headquarters was in the other room. I had my mittens and +overcoat on, and he said, "you pull off your hat, you insolent puppy, +and salute me." I replied to the Captain's kind words of greeting that, +"I will not salute you, but excuse me, I should have had manners enough +to have removed my hat." He told me that he "would put the irons" on me. +I answered him that I did not think he would do such an unmanly thing, +at least right then. This exasperated the haughty Captain, and he +hollowed for the First Lieutenant to come and put me in irons. I asked +him what he was there for, and he told me that it was "none of my +business." I then got pretty middling hot myself, and I told him that if +he did not know his business, that it was "up to me" to "put you next," +or words to that extent. I told him that he was there for the purpose of +furnishing escorts for the United States mail and that it was I, and not +he, in command there, then, by virtue with the position I held with the +Government, and I told him that I now ordered him to be placed under +arrest. I called on the Lieutenant to place the irons on him. I told him +that I would take him to Leavenworth, and the Lieutenant, delighted by +the change of program, said, "alright." + +Captain Conkey then told me that he would furnish the escort, and I told +him to do so, then, and I would leave him here, that I had no room on +the coach for such a "donkey" as he was, but that I would tell the +commanding officer at Fort Leavenworth that we needed a captain for the +company here, in order to save time and trouble for the other conductors +of the road. I told him that he had not only taken up time, but that he +had made a perfect "donkey" of himself, and of the men who had favored +him with this position. + +Captain Conkey asked me if the Indians were bad again. I told him that +it did not matter whether they were bad or not, I wanted an escort. I +got my escort of fifteen soldiers at last and after getting the teams +hitched, off we started, the soldiers in advance to break the roads. +That is, as a matter of fact, all the use we had for them. We could +travel very well when they had ridden ahead and broke the snow so we +could follow the trail. + +Daugherty built him a new station across the creek from where Conkey was +camped, on Walnut Creek. He put up corals for the mules and built a +fort-like building for his home. About the time he had finished his +buildings, some white hunters had killed some Indians, and trouble began +between the white race and the Indian tribes. + +One day at about ten o'clock in the forenoon, Mr. Daugherty went up on +the top of his house with his field glasses to inspect the surrounding +country. He noticed that Indian smokes were all around, and the Indians +seemed to be coming toward them all the time. + +He hastened down from the roof and called the orderly from Captain +Conkey's company to him and told him that unless the Captain moved to +his fort within an hour and a half that they would all be killed by the +Indians. There had been bad blood between Conkey and Bill Daugherty for +quite a while, and when Daugherty sent the orderly to Conkey with the +warning of the coming Indians, Captain Conkey got mad and told the +orderly to go over and arrest Daugherty for disturbing his peace. Just +as the soldiers coming to arrest him stepped on the bridge, Bill +Daugherty halted them. He said, "if you come another foot, I will fire +on you." You go back and tell Conkey, the fool, that if he don't get you +men to this side inside of half an hour, you will all be "gonners." If +you want the protection of my fort, come over and you will have the same +protection as I have, otherwise, you will go up in smoke, holy, or +otherwise. Daugherty then took his gun and went to the Captain, and +saluting him, said: "The Indians are coming, 1,000 strong, and unless +you get your wagons, etc., out of here, and at once, you will be +scalped." Captain Conkey then decided that for the benefit of his +health, he had better decamp to the other side for protection. He just +barely escaped when the Indians swooped down on his camp ground. Then +Daugherty took his gun and went to the bridge and laid the gun down and +walked over it toward the Indians, motioning to them that he came in +peace, and for them to come and get something to eat. Daugherty took +four of the Indians to his fort and gave them some bacon, coffee and +other provisions, and took two other men from the fort with him with +axes, to chop wood for a fire, and they cooked a meal and with the +Indians the four white persons and Bill Daugherty sat down to "meat." +Bill Daugherty showed the Indian chiefs over his fort, explained the +working of his guns and cannons. He had 40 port holes in the houses and +shelves under each one on which to rest a gun. After giving them a large +box of smoking tobacco, he told them they could go on back to their camp +and that he would keep the soldiers peaceable if he would keep his +braves peaceable. Captain Conkey told Daugherty that he believed he +would go down and see the chief, and Bill answered him, to "go if you +d--ed please, and you want to lose your scalp, for they will surely not +put up with your palaver." Conkey concluded that he had better remain in +the home of his enemy than risk his precious scalp at the camp of +the Indians. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +Colonel Moore's Graphic Description of a Fight with Cheyennes.[1] + +That Colonel Milton Moore for a quarter of a century has been a +prominent practitioner at the Kansas City bar, a member of the election +boards, and is now serving as a school commissioner is well known, but +that the old commander of the Fifth Missouri infantry was ever a Santa +Fe freighter in the days when freighting was fighting, was not generally +known until there appeared a month ago in Hal Reid's monthly, Western +Life, a paper written by Colonel Moore for the Kansas Historical Society. + +The story is that of an engagement between a party of freighters, with +whom was young Moore, and a band of Indians, in 1864, not far from +Dodge City. + +The story as told by Colonel Moore was incomplete in that he admitted he +did not know by what Indians his party was attacked. A week ago the +sequel appeared in the form of a letter from George Bent, at present +residing at Colony, Okla., who has written to Colonel Moore to tell him +that the leader of the Indians he fought with forty-four years ago was +the notorious "Little Robe," no chief at all but a great warrior. With +the Bent letter Colonel Moore's story is complete, and both are +here given: + +"After the commencement of the Indian war on the upper Arkansas in 1864 +caravans were not permitted to proceed westward of Fort Larned on the +Pawnee Fork, or the confluence of that stream with the Arkansas, near +where the city of Larned now stands, on the river road, in parties of +less than 100 men. In August two trains of Stuart, Slemmons & Co., who +had the general contract for the transportation of government stores for +the posts on the Arkansas and in New Mexico and Arizona that year, +reached the mouth of Pawnee fork, and found awaiting them a Mexican +train bound for some point below the Santa Fe, also a small train of +fourteen wagons under the direction of Andrew Blanchard of Leavenworth. +The name of the wagonmaster of the Mexican train is not remembered, but +he was either a Frenchman or Castilian. The S. S. trains were under the +charge respectively of Charles P. McRea and John Sage, both of whom were +men of experience and tried courage. The four trains having a force of +men numbering more than 100 were allowed to proceed. + +"A full train of the period was twenty-five wagons loaded with freight, +and a provision wagon, commonly known as the 'mess wagon,' each drawn by +six yokes of oxen; the freight of each wagon was from 6,000 to 7,000 +pounds. There was one wagonmaster, one assistant and one extra man, +denominated the 'extra hand,' who were mounted, twenty-six teamsters and +two night herders. In practice the night herders soon became teamsters, +replacing sick men, or those who for some reason had turned, or were +turned back, and the slavish duty of night herding cattle fell upon the +teamsters. + +"Thomas Fields of Jackson County, Missouri, route agent for the S. S. +company, was elected captain of the combined trains. He was a man of +many years' experience on the plains, and had been in more than one +contest with the Indians. + +"The rule of travel was: The train having the advance today should go to +the rear tomorrow, and so on. Blanchard, having light wagons, which +could be moved easily and rapidly, was dissatisfied with the rule, and +refused at times to be governed by it, with the result hereinafter stated. + +"On Sunday, August 21, the trains, after a hard morning drive, reached +the head of the 'dry route,' which left the river some miles below the +present Dodge City, ran over the hills by old Fort Larned, not touching +the Arkansas valley again until the crossing of Walnut creek. McRea was +in front, followed by Sage, the Mexican, and Blanchard, in the order +named. The region was known to be dangerous because near the great trail +of the Indians in their journeyings from north to south and the reverse. + +"McRea went into corral just south of the road about 10 o'clock a.m., +and Sage and the Mexican in their order, but well closed up. The three +first trains corralled so as to leave room for Blanchard's train with +its rear resting on or near a bayou in such way that it would be +practically impossible for a band of Indians to sweep around it. Instead +of camping at the place designated, Blanchard continued on and went into +corral about half a mile beyond McRea. The cattle were placed south of +the trains, near the river, and guards put out. The trainmen were armed +with Minie rifles, and the order in force required that these be carried +in slings on the left sides of the wagons--a rule but little observed. +As a matter of fact, the guns were usually in the wagons, and +practically inaccessible when needed in an emergency, except as +hereafter stated. The teamsters of McRea's train were largely from +Missouri; and a number of them had seen military service upon one side +or the other in the Civil War. They were a well-controlled and reliable +body. The first mess on the right wing were white men, excepting the +negro cook, Thomas Fry, who was afterwards a ragpicker in Kansas City, +and died there. He was an honorably discharged soldier from the United +States volunteer army on account of the loss of the first two fingers of +the right hand in battle. + +"The second mess was wholly negroes, or 'black men,' as the Missourians +of the period termed them. The negroes, possibly from the novelty of +having far-shooting guns in their possession, habitually had their arms +at hand when in camp, practicing at targets as far as allowed by the +rules of the wagonmaster. At about 1 o'clock in the afternoon the camp +was quiet, many of the men asleep; one big fellow was lying on his back +under his wagon singing 'Sweet Eloise,' and three men from McRea's train +were out more than 100 yards towards the ridge, shooting at +prairie dogs. + +"Suddenly the cry of 'Indians' came from one of these. A glance at the +ridge not more than half a mile away showed it to be covered with +mounted Indians, and a dozen or more coming down the slope at full run, +evidently intending to overtake the three men before they could reach +the corral, and were in a fair way to do so, and possibly pass between +Sage and McRea. The six negroes of the second mess instead of running +inside the corral and firing from behind wagons, as they would have been +justified in doing, boldly opened fire on the advancing party and walked +out to the road towards them. This turned the Indians and the three men +came in safely. Nevertheless five of the Indians, led by a man on a +yellow pony, dashed through between the trains of McRea and Blanchard +and very near the latter. Probably forty or more passed around the head +of Blanchard's train and came in south of it. + +"The ridge was still covered with mounted men who had not then descended +into the valley. When Blanchard saw the five Indians pass by the mouth +of his corral he mounted his pony, drew his revolver, an ordinary +36-caliber, and rode out after them, evidently not noticing those who +had passed around the front of his train. By the time he had gotten +possibly 200 yards from his camp the Indians, who by that time had +concentrated, divided into two parties, and one began to drive off his +cattle and the other to circle around him, lying on the sides of their +ponies and covering their bodies with shields. By this time the train +men in the corrals of McRea and Sage had got their arms and those on the +south side opened fire, but at too great a distance to protect +Blanchard, or to do the Indians serious injury. + +"The Indians closed on Blanchard, and either knocked him off his horse +in an effort to get him onto one of their own ponies, to take him out of +the fire or he fell from wounds. As he fell his fourteen teamsters and +one night herder left their corral, and without a word of command formed +a line, and charged the mass of Indians, firing rapidly as they +advanced. The Indians hesitated before giving up their victim, but +finally retreated. Blanchard was able to get on his feet and run to his +men, who brought him to McRea's camp where he died in an hour. He had +been shot one or more times, lanced behind one shoulder, and an arrow +had entered his back near the spinal column and protruded about eight +inches out through the stomach; this he pulled through himself before +reaching his rescuers. When his pistol was found, which he had dropped, +two chambers were empty, but there was no evidence that he had wounded +any of the Indians. + +"We buried him by the side of the road, and upon our return in the fall +it appeared that his grave had been opened, but whether by savage +Indians, wolves or loving hands we never knew. After retreating some +distance, driving the cattle of Blanchard's train, four Indians dashed +back into McRea's herd and took out about one-third, and a few belonging +to Sage. This was done under a heavy rifle fire, but so far as ever +known no Indians were hurt. They left two of their ponies down on the +river bank, which probably had been disabled. The Mexicans sustained no +loss. After the skirmish was ended a few well directed shots dispersed +the party that had remained on the hill; and one Indian, not exceeding +800 yards away, who seemed to be acting as a signal man, was directly +fired at--the rifleman resting his piece on a wagon tongue; so far as we +knew no harm happened to him, but he galloped swiftly from his post, and +was not seen again. + +"The Indians drove the cattle so captured across the river to a point +two or three miles away, then unsaddled their ponies and rested. About 4 +o'clock in the afternoon another herd, consisting of horses, mules and +cattle, the proceeds of other raids, were driven down on the south side +of the river, and added to those taken from Blanchard's train and the +S.S. trains. The combined herds were then driven southward over the sand +hills. We saw no more of this war party. It was anticipated that some +might remain and watch for a messenger that must necessarily be sent +back to Fort Larned; if any were left we had no evidence of it. + +"As all of Blanchard's herd except two oxen had been taken it was +necessary to communicate with Fort Larned, the nearest military post. +The distance was estimated to be about sixty-five miles. The night +herder of Blanchard's train expressed a willingness to go upon this +perilous undertaking. While making his preparations at McRea's camp he +was asked if he wanted any money, that a little might be found in the +train. He replied that money would not 'help' him 'on a trip like this,' +but he would be glad to have a small bottle of whisky and some tobacco, +as he might not get anything to eat before the afternoon of the next +day. These having been furnished him, and when it was dark, without a +word of parting, he mounted the pony, off which Blanchard had been shot, +and rode away towards the hills, saying that it was his purpose to keep +away from the road and travel under the 'tops of the ridges.' On the +second morning after his departure, and just at daylight a body of +soldiers arrived, accompanied by the messenger, together with a long +train of wagons. The commanding officer took charge of Blanchard's +wagons, and within an hour McRea, Sage and the Mexican were moving on to +their several destinations under an escort, commanded by Captain +Butcher, Eleventh Missouri Volunteer cavalry. The remainder of the +journey was made by the three trains without incident--Indians having +been seen but once, and that was a short distance below old Fort Lyon; +the party disappeared rapidly, and was evidently traveling and not on +the warpath. + +"Returning to the messenger, his courage and boldness stamped him as a +man whose name should be preserved, if possible, in Kansas historical +collections, but I never heard of him again, and do not remember his +name, possibly never knew it. The plainsman of that period, like his +successor, the cowboy, was not inquisitive. He might ask another where +he was from, but rarely his name--never his former business. The +messenger was then of full middle life, rather stout, with sandy colored +hair and beard, and brown eyes. He was simply a night herder, probably +had no other occupation, but like the trapper, the hunter and the +plainsman, he has probably joined his class. + +"In 1877 I was at Dodge City several days taking testimony in a case +growing out of the loss of a train of mules near the Cimarron crossing +in the year 1864, and one afternoon, in company with a former member of +the firm of Stuart, Slemmons & Co., drove down to Fort Dodge and below +to identify, if possible, the place where Blanchard was killed, but +could not. From the course of a bayou I was led to believe that the +guard house at Fort Dodge was located at or near the place where the +rear of the Mexican train stood. However, there was no landmark by which +the place could be reasonably identified. In years past I have made many +inquiries to learn if possible what band of Indians made the attack, but +have obtained no satisfaction. It was the opinion of our captain, Thomas +Fields, judging from their mode of attack, that the Indians were +Comanches or Kiowas, or both." + +In 1908 I wrote George Bent, a former school mate, and received the +following reply: + +"Colony, Okla., Jan. 17, 1908. + +"Colonel Milton Moore, Kansas City. + +"Sir: I have seen published in a Western periodical your paper now in +the archives of the Kansas Historical Society relating to a battle your +train had with a war party in August, 1864, near where Fort Dodge was. +Cheyennes were camped on the Solomon river. Several war parties started +from this village to make raids on trains. Most of these parties went to +Platte river. The Sioux joined these war parties that went to Platte +river. 'Little Robe,' now dead, was head of this party that your trains +had fight with. There were twenty or thirty warriors in this party. The +man you speak of riding the yellow horse in the lead was 'Bear Man.' He +was no chief; only grand warrior in battles. I was in the Cheyenne +village when these war parties started out and I knew this young man +well. He died at Darlington agency several years ago from an old wound +he got fighting Utes. He was about twenty-five years old when he led +that charge through between the trains. The war party did not drive the +cattle very far out when they left them. Just before this fight, in +July, I think, the Kiowas and Comanches attacked a train or two at +Walnut creek. They killed several teamsters. Brother Charles was at +Charley Rath's ranch on Walnut creek at the time. He told me about it +when he came to the village on Solomon river. The whites started this +war in 1864. As I was with the Cheyennes at the time I knew what took +place. The Kansas Historical Society ought to get the Indian side of the +history of all these wars between the whites and Indians. + +"Respectfully yours, + +"GEORGE BENT." + +[Footnote 1: NOTE.--Colonel Milton Moore, the signer of this Preface, is +a man of unusual legal ability. The confidence reposed in the old +commander of the Fifth Missouri infantry is clearly set forth by the +fact that for more than a quarter of a century he has been a member of +the police and election boards and has served for a long time as school +commissioner and is one of the most prominent practitioners at the +Kansas City Bar, with offices on the third floor, suite 3, Rialto Bldg., +Kansas City, Mo.] + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +Pecos Church. + +I will call attention to the Old Pecos Church which was probably owned +by the Roman Catholics at one time, but which was in ruins when I first +saw it, as I drove by with my stage coach to Santa Fe. It stood twenty +miles east of Santa Fe on the old trail. The walls were built of adobe, +the doors were round-topped and built of solid hewed timbers, with +wooden hinges, wooden latches. When I first saw the old ruins it had a +belfry on the top of it with a rounded topped opening in it the same as +the doors below. This church was built on the plan of a fort. When it +was originally built it was the storage place for all kinds of +ammunition, Roman spears, shields, breast plates, guns, powder, +ammunition of every kind and character, used by Roman Catholics for war, +and was probably built by the Aztec Indians who were; under the control +of the Spaniards. It was said to be 300 years old when I saw it 53 years +ago. It was a two-story structure, built of adobe, or sun-dried brick. +The floors of the building were built of some kind of concrete and were +hard and glossy. The upper floor was built of eight by ten timbers laid +solidly together with a crease in the crack of each timber--dovetailed-- +the cracks in the timbers fitted so closely together that the creases +did not show. The under part of the floor, that part which was exposed +as ceiling for the lower room was lavishly hand carved. This carving was +said to have been done by the Indians. There was carved in some places, +Indian squaws with their papooses on their backs, heads of big braves, +mooses, bow and arrows, fish, deer, antelope, horses, lizards and almost +everything imagined was carved in this timber. Those parts not exposed +directly to the elements were in a good state of preservation, while +those pieces exposed to the weather were brittle and would crumble like +chalk. + +[Illustration: THE PECOS CHURCH.] + +In the picture of the Pecos church you will note the pieces of fallen +timbers. Kosloski was a Polish ranchman whose ranch was traversed by the +Old Trail. This was a very picturesque ranch at the foot of the +Glorietta Mountains, half mile from the ruins of the old Pecos Church. +He bought the ruins of this once famous temple and built stable, for his +horses and cattle. Kosloski's ranch had at one time been a famous eating +station, noted for its profusion of fine mountain trout caught from the +Rio Pecos River which ran near the cabin. On this famous ranch four +miles east of the Pecos River, the Texas Rangers fought their fight with +the Union soldiers and were whipped. Gone are those old days, gone are +the old people, gone are the bones of the soldiers which have bleached +upon the ruins of the Old Trail. Silence reigns supremely over the once +famous ranch, broken occasionally by the screams of the locomotives as +they whiz by on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, puffing, +screeching and rumbling up the steep grades of the Glorietta Mountains. + +W. H. RYUS. + +THE END. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Second William Penn, by William H. Ryus + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECOND WILLIAM PENN *** + +This file should be named wpen210.txt or wpen210.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, wpen211.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, wpen210a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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