Читать книгу Wild Life in the Far West: Being the Personal Adventures of a Border Mountain Man - Captain James Hobbs - Страница 2

48 TRADING.

under the walls, knowing nothing of what was going on, ran away as fast as their legs could carry them, convinced that "Old Wolf must be dead now, and their own safety depended on flight. The chief and I sprang np on the wall and signaled and shouted to them and they returned, asking in much astonish- ment, what kind of a monstrous gun that was.

About noon, trading commenced. The Indians wished to come into the fort, but Bent prohibited the entrance of any but chiefs. At the back door he dis- played his wares, and the Indians brought forward their ponies, buffalo robes, and deer and other skins, which they traded for tobacco, beads calicoes, flan, nels, knives, spoons, whistles, jewsharps, &c., &c.

He sold them whisky the first day, but it caused several fights among themselves before night, and he stopped its sale by my suggestion and with "Old Wolf's" consent. Indians do not waste time in fighting with their fists, but use knives and tomahawks, and a scrimmage among themselves is serious. There was considerable difficulty the first day, with drunken In- dians outside the fort, and two or three deaths resulted.

The trading continued eight days and Bent reaped a wonderful harvest of what would turn to gold when shipped to St. Louis. "Old Wolf" slept in the fort every night except one, and every time he did, his warriors aroused him during the night and compelled him to show himself on the walls to satisfy them of his safety.

On the morning of the ninth day the chiefs met and told Bent they were going home and would send out hunting parties, collect more skins and furs and come to trade with him every two or three months. "Old Wolf" told Bent that his goods were splendid,

PARTING WITH SPOTTED FAWN. 49

his whisky excellent and he should furnish him with all the horses and mules he wanted by sending out parties and making raids into Mexico. Bent of- fered to give him the market price for all such stock, and had no conscientious scruples about the way the Indians obtained them.

I reported to Bent concerning the two American girls and their two brothers I had found in camp when I was captured by the Comanches, and he made "Old Wolf" liberal offers for them, but the chief would not hear to anything of the kind. He replied that he was glad that he had got rid of John Batiste, for they were tired of supporting him as he had never killed any game or been useful. But he could not think of parting with the wives of his sons, and the little Brown boys, who were as wild, active, and ex- pert as Indians.

I now had to part with my wife and little son, three years of age, which "Spotted Fawn" had brought along to the fort, probably as an inducement for me to remain with her. She had also brought with her from camp a fine bay horse which she knew I valued highly. This horse she left with me; and picking up our child, with a tearful embrace, with a look of sor- row bordering on despair, and one wild, mournful shriek, she was gone from the fort. Her grief at the separation caused the poor woman to lose prema- turely her second child, as I have learned since.

When "Old Wolf" bade me good bye he present- ed me with two mules, and to John Batiste he gave a pony. He liked his fare and treatment at the fort very much indeed. The variety of cooked dishes suited him, but the bread he disliked, saying it would be good to make a smoke-fire with to color their buckskins.

4

50 THE BROWN SISTERS.

About three months after I was ransomed the chief's eldest son was killed during a raid into Mexico and the elder of the two American girls, who was thus made a widow, was sold to Bent and is now living in San Antonio, Texas. Matilda Brown, the younger sister, was sold to Bent, but the chief would not let her little half-breed son accompany her; so after stopping at the fort three or four days, she declared herself unfit to live among white people, and returned to the tribe where she is still living or was a few years ago ; and her two younger brothers never could be induced to leave the Comanches.

CHAPTER III.

IT was in 1839 when I was restored to the company of hunters and trappers with whom I had started out nearly four years before. It surprised me that the party had changed so little; in fact the principal men were all here at the fort or out on a hunt and would soon be with us. Trapping for beaver and hunting game, &c, was the chief occupation of these traders and fur dealers whose head-quarters were at Bent's Fort. About one hundred trappers were in the employ of Bent and his partners, and sometimes one half the company were off on the hunt; sometimes more; leaving a small force at the fort for its protec- tion, though a military company was constantly sta- tioned there with a small battery, which was consid- ered sufficient for its defense.

When a company of trappers returned to the fort from a successful hunting trip, they were very jubi- lant and usually staid at the fort playing cards, drink- ing whisky and carousing, till a new party would organize and start off on another tramp, to be gone for several months, perhaps.

I staid at the fort some three months and then went out trapping under the lead of Kit Carson, with Peg- leg Smith, Spiebuck, Shawnee Jake, and other Shaw- nees, with some hunters I had not seen before; in all the party numbered forty or fifty.

Our destination was Picket Ware at the foot of Taos Mountain, ninety or a hundred miles from Bent's

52 TRAPPING.

Fort. In the region about "Picket Ware" and along Beaver creek we trapped and hunted four months. Altogether we captured over five hundred beaver and put up a great deal of bear bacon and bear' soil.

Spiebuck and Shawnee Jake, with myself, were the principal hunters for meat. Out hunting one evening, between sundown and dark, I wounded an elk. Being so dark I could not see my rifle-sights clearly, I shot it too far back. It was so late I let it run and return- ed to camp. It ran up a ravine which opened out a mile and a half from camp. Knowing that a wounded elk invariably takes to the water and stays by it till he dies, I was satisfied that I should find my game in the morning near one of the sloughs or small pools of water scattered through the ravine. On my return to camp I enjoyed a luscious supper of Shawnee cooking, being a mixture of turkey, grizzly bear, beaver tails, and buffalo, all cooked together in the same pot. I may as well say here that bread forms no part of an Indian' s diet, and in my four years of captivity I had lived on meat altogether, and had lost my appetite for bread.

Perhaps the reader may never have heard of such a dish as beaver tails; but I consider them the best meat that I ever fed on, when properly cooked. After supper, while lying around on our buffalo robes, smoking, I told my companions that I had wounded a splendid elk, close by, which I assured them I should be able to bring into camp the next morning. I also told them that grizzly bears were very thick in that part of the country, and we stood a good chance of finding one by the elk in the morning.

I had a friend in camp, named John Mclntire, who proposed to go with me. I accepted his proposition,

MclNTIRE AND THE GRIZZLY. 53

though. I had some doubts as to his fitness for a bear hunt, for he was perfectly green. I cautioned him of the danger in hunting grizzlies, but he had no fears, and insisted on going with me.

The next morning I buckled on my tomahawk and hunting-knife, took my gun and dog, and accompa- nied by Mclntire, I started to see about the elk. On arriving at the ravine I instructed my friend to cross over to the opposite side and climb the hill, but by no means to go into the hollow, as the grizzlies were dan- gerous when they got a man on the down-hill side. I went directly to where I presumed the elk would be found, if he had died by the water-side, and as soon as I approached within a short distance I saw that a large grizzly bear had scented my elk and was mak- ing his breakfast out of him.

He was in thick, scrubby oak brush, and I made my dog lie down while I crawled behind a rock to get a favorable shot at the animal. I shot him but he only snapped at the wound made by the bullet and started tearing through the brush, biting furiously at the bushes as he went. I reloaded my rifle as rapidly as possible to get in a second shot, but to my surprise I saw the bear rushing down the hollow, chasing after Mclntire who was only about ten steps in advance of the beast, and he was running for dear life, and making as much noise as a mad bull. The truth is Mclntire was scared and I hastened to the rescue, first sending my dog forward to help him.

Just as the dog reached the bear Mclntire darted behind a tree and flung his hat in the bear's face, at the same time pointing his gun at him. Old grizzly seized the muzzle of the gun in his teeth and as it was loaded and cocked it went off either accidentally or

54 FURS AND MEAT SENT TO BENT'S FORT.

otherwise and blew the bear's head open, just as the dog fastened on his hind quarters. I ran to the assist- ance of my friend with all haste, but he was out of danger, and had sat down several rods away with his face as white as a sheet and as badly frightened a man as I ever met. I commenced laughing and he became indignant, saying it was no laughing matter; and I never got Mclntire out on any more bear hunts. He would cook or do any thing, but said he never in- tended to make a business of bear hunting. He had only wished for one adventure, and this one had perfectly satisfied him.

After Mclntire had recovered from his fright and bewilderment, I told him to go to the camp and bring me the pack mules while I skinned and cut up my bear and elk. He returned shortly with four of the strongest pack mules there were in camp, and several. Mexican packers. The bear being extraordinarily large, weighing probably one thousand pounds, and the elk of average size, they made a good load for each mule; and when we returned to camp all hands were collected to enjoy a hearty supper.

The adventure I had with Mclntire was too good to keep, so I explained to Carson and the rest of the company what a narrow escape and terrible fright Mclntire had, and they laughed at him so much that he declared he had no intention of hunting grizzly bears in future.

Beaver and game now began to get scarce and we were ready to move again. We concluded to send twenty loads of furs and meat to Bent's Fort in charge of our packers. The Shawnee, Spiebuck, said lie had been out and found a place where there was a plenty of game and lots of beaver, &c. It was at a

FIRST LESSONS IN BUFFALO-HUNTING. 55

place called Bald Buttes, about thirty miles north of us. We started off our pack train for the fort, giving them directions where to find us on their return. We arrived at Bald Buttes the second day after, and found it an excellent hunting ground for buffalo and trapping beaver, as Spiebuck had told us.

We had a green Irishman, named O'Neil, who was quite anxious to become proficient in hunting and it wasn't long before he got his first lesson. We in- structed him that every man who went out of camp after game was expected to bring in meat of some kind. O'Neil said he would agree to the terms and was ready to start out that evening. He picked up his rifle and started for a small herd of mountain buffalo in plain sight, only three or four hundred yards from camp.

We were all busy fixing up our new camp, some of us putting up tents and some cooking supper, when we heard Mr. O'Neil' s rifle in the distance, and shortly after the gentleman came running into camp, bare- headed, without his gun, with a bull buffalo close after him, both going at full speed, and O'Neil shout- ing like a madman,

"Here we come, be Jasus. Stop us! For the love of God, stop us !"

Just as they came in among the tents, the bull not more than six feet in rear of the Irishman, who was frightened out of his wits and puffing like a loco- motive, his toe caught in a tent-rope and over he went into a puddle of water, head foremost and in his fall capsized several camp-kettles, one of which contained our supper. But the buffalo did not escape so easily, for Shawnee Jake and I jumped for our guns and dropped the animal before he had done any further damage.

56 INTERESTING CAPTURE.

We all laughed heartily at O'Neil when he had got up out of the water, for a party of trappers show no mercy to one who meets with a mishap of this kind; but as lie stood there with dripping clothes and face covered with mud, his mother wit came to his relief and he declared he had accomplished the hunter's task, "For sure," said he, "havn't I fetched the mate into camp, and there was no bargain whether it should be dead or alive, at all, at all."

Upon asking O'Neil where his gun was—

"Sure, " says he, "that's more than I can tell you."

Next morning Kit Carson and I took his tracks and the buffalo' s, and, after hunting an hour or so, found 0' Neil's gun, though he had little use for it afterwards as he preferred to cook and help around the camp to exposing his precious life in fighting buffaloes.

One morning Kit Carson and I discovered some fresh signs of Indians while we were out on a tramp prospecting the chances for trapping. On our return to camp we warned our partners to keep a good look- out for them and not to stray away from camp with- out due precaution.

The next day while out with a company, including Kit Carson and Spiebuck, we discovered that otter and beaver were plenty in the neighborhood; before night we made an interesting capture of an old "Crow" Indian squaw, who was over one hundred years old. We took her into camp, fed her, and gave her a blanket to sleep on. None of us could converse with her except Peg-leg Smith, and he having lived among the Crow Indians could talk with her some, and gain a little information, though she was too old and timid to be very chatty with him even.

Next day we divided into two parties for setting

MEETING WITH CROWS. 57

beaver traps, hunting game, &c, and at night one party reported in camp that they had discovered eight Crow Indians that day at some distance, but had no communication with them. Peg-leg Smith, who lost his leg among the Crows several years before and was acquainted with their habits and language, said he should like to hunt them up, and, taking only Shawnee Jake for a companion, sallied forth the next morning to visit the Crows; though we offered to send an escort, they refused, thinking there was no danger. The rest of us were busy all day in hunting game and skinning our beaver and otter, having caught in our traps by the river side, seventy -six beaver and a dozen otter, which we thought good luck for the first night's trapping. At night all of us were gathered in camp except Peg-leg Smith and Jake, for whom we had fears, but concluded to wait another day for them to come in, and if we saw nothing of them, to then go in pursuit. The second night we had only caught fifty beaver and five otter, but on returning to camp we espied ten Indians near where we found the old squaw and they were apparently looking for her. After watching them awhile, Kit Carson advised us to show ourselves, as we might have some communica- tion with them. On discovering us they started to run; but Kit placed a white handkerchief on his ramrod and made other friendly signs which induced them to stop, and one of their number cautiously approached to meet Kit, previously laying down his bow and arrows as Kit threw down his gun. After they had conferred alone, chiefly by signs, the Indians advanced to meet us, and after a good smoke all round they had confidence enough to go with us on our return to camp for they saw from our game that we were simply

58 PARTING WITH THE CROWS.

friendly hunters. When they saw the old squaw they were much pleased, and one Indian who looked about sixty years of age, said she was his mother and appeared very thankful that we had given her a blanket.

Kit Carson said to us that as Peg-leg and Jake had not returned, we might keep these fellows as hostages and take their scalps, if they should not return.

He felt so anxious that Spiebuck and I concluded to go with him to hunt up our missing comrades, and we finally found them returning to our camp in company with the Crow chief and four warriors. When we got in, there was great joy among the Indians to meet their chief.

Smith declared the Crows rather treacherous, but he had a wife among them and lost his leg fighting for them, which would be a sufficient guaranty of our safety so long as he remained with us. The chief staid in camp till next day and Peg-leg Smith pro- posed to take his people to Bent's Fort to trade with Bent; but the chief declined as it was dangerous for the Crows to leave their mountain country, and get down among the Cheyennes, Comanches, and Arapa- hoes. But the chief was desirous to trade with the whites if they would bring their goods up there. Car- son immediately started a Shawnee Indian with a letter to Bent's Fort, over two hundred miles, with instructions to send him some goods on our pack mules, which had been sent down with furs.

After the Indian and his letter had started to the fort, the chief and his warriors left, mostly on foot; but before going he assured us that none of us should be hurt and promised to come back in about a month to trade. Smith furnished the Indian with a pack mule

RETURN TO BENT'S FORT. 59

to carry his mother home and lie returned with it in four days, according to promise.

We kept on trapping and hunting there until the pack mules arrived with the goods from the fort. Bent sent four or five hundred dollars worth of goods and we traded them to the Crows for three or four thousand dollars worth of furs. Then we all returned to Bent's Fort with our train heavily laden with furs and buffalo-robes.

We stayed two or three weeks at Bent's Fort, re- cruiting up and having a good time with old friends. Bent was highly pleased with our trip. Trappers always have many thrilling yarns and funny stories to tell each other when they meet at head-quarters, and we had our share. Often did we have a good laugh over the adventures of Mclntire and O'Neil.

Bent proposed that we should go back to the Crow nation and establish a post among them, but Carson objected on account of furs being scarce up there, and he considered that we had drained that market already, and he thought there were other places where we could do better.

In a short time, we were ready for another hunt. Kit Carson, Peg-leg Smith, and myself, with a number of our Shawnee Indian trappers, started for New Mexico, going over what was called the Taos moun- tain. We stopped in Santa Fe some two or three weeks, meeting there Colonel Owens, Nicholas Gentry, and other traders from Independence, Mo. Soon after (in December, 1840), a report came that Albert Spey- ers' s train was snowed in on the Cimarron creek, about two hundred and fifty miles from Santa Fe, and that over four hundred of his mules were frozen to death. He had seventy-five wagons and ten mules to the

60 A RELIEF TRAIN.

wagon. All the American mules died, and the Mexi- can mules sustained life by eating off the manes, and tails from the dead carcasses. The snow was two feet deep, and the teamsters could make no fire, except by tearing up their wagon-boxes and side-boards, as the buffalo chips were all covered up, and the nearest timber was about ten miles off, at Cottonwood Grove. The storm had come on suddenly, and the cold was so intense that the animals had frozen, and their bones remain there to this day, which gave that place the name of Bone Yard.

Colonel Owens came to me, when the report of this disaster reached Santa Fe, and, knowing I had been among the Comanches, he begged me to take charge of a relief train and start off immediately. As the route lay through a part of the Comanche country, and I spoke their language, he offered me a good price to go, and I consented. The train was fitted up with dispatch, and the mules, oxen, and provisions were soon ready. We had ten Mexicans to drive the loose oxen and mules, and teamsters to drive the wagons. A Mexican in the employ of Mr. Speyers, who had come in with the news, returned with us as guide. We were twenty days in reaching the perishing train, and found them in an awful situation. They had driven what mules remained alive to the cottonwood grove, ten miles away, and, loading part of them with wood, had taken it back to camp. They had also cut down immense quantities of the cottonwood trees for shelter, and the mules lived on the buds and bark. If the storm, which lasted several days, had not come on so fiercely and suddenly the first night, they might have saved the whole train, by starting at once for this grove.

ALBERT SPEYERS. 61

My trip for their relief was through a wild country, and, as we encountered deep snows, our progress was necessarily slow. We had four hundred mules and sixty yoke of Mexican cattle; but it was hard work to move the heavy train of Mr. Speyers back to Santa Fe, for the starving mules, barely saved alive from the hunger and cold, could not pull much. The oxen were yoked in Mexican fashion, the yoke being lashed to the horns with rawhide, and the different yokes in the same team connected with rawhide ropes. They were driven by a man on each side, with a long stick or pole, having a sharp nail or spur on the end, which was used instead of a whip.

We traveled slowly, enduring much suffering, and at times nearly freezing, till we reached Las Vegas, where we got more men and animals and were much relieved, making the balance of our journey into Santa Fe much easier. Our arrival produced great excitement, and our old friends were all glad to meet us and to learn of our safety.

Speyers, if living, must now (1872) be quite an old man. He has done a heavy business in Kansas City, purchased largely in real estate, and, the last I heard of him, he had acquired a large amount of property. He was of German descent, tall and spare, with keen eyes, and his language, though somewhat broken, was always polite. He had a good reputation as a fair trader, and, at the time he was snowed in at Cimarron creek, the merchants of Santa Fe manifested the live- liest sympathy for him and his men, and showed the respect in which they held him, by doing every thing in their power for his relief. During my long ac- quaintance with him, I found him in all respects, a gentleman.

62 PEG-LEG SMITH IN TROUBLE.

On my arrival at Santa Fe, I went to hunt up my friends, Kit Carson and Peg-leg Smith, finding Kit in a Mexican hotel, and he gave me a cordial welcome. He said Smith was probably in a saloon nearby, and that he had seen him drunk nearly every day since I left. Going over to the saloon, we found Smith in a fracas with two or three Mexicans, and, having un- strapped his wooden leg, he had knocked one Mexican down with it, and was hopping around on one foot, determined to knock down the others. Our arrival put a stop to his warlike demonstrations, and, after he had buckled on his wooden leg, we escorted him to our hotel. There we made him drink a cup of tea, and locked him up in a room to get sober. He was nearly dead with the horrors ; but we kept him con- fined there four days, during which he kept up a yelling that would have astonished a wild Indian. We took him in food and liquor in small quantities, and, at the end of four days, let him out, and kept an eye on him, to prevent the Mexicans killing him.

We amused ourselves here attending several dances, or fandangoes, with Mexican ladies. The last fandango was a terribly exciting affair. At this ball, there were sixty or seventy Americans, most of whom were pretty hard customers,—teamsters, &c. We had hired two Mexican musicians to play all night for three dollars. One of them had a "fiddle" of his own manufacture, and the other an instrument he called a "guitar," but it was big enough to float a man. About midnight, the Mexicans, becoming jealous of the attentions of some of our party to the ladies, and exasperated by the manner in which the attentions were received, attempted to remove their lady friends and close the ball. By this time several of the party were in no

A DANCING GOVERNOR. 63

condition to be dictated to by any one, and, as the result of this attempt to remove the ladies, the room was quickly cleared of the indignant Mexican gents, the ladies willingly remaining, and the door placed in charge of one of our party. The dance then pro- ceeded for a while, the "music" being furnished by a half-way "tiddler" named George Stilts, who after- ward married Kit Carson' s daughter.

After the ejected Mexicans had made an unsuccessful attempt, by the aid of a number of soldiers, to gain admission to the hall, they went to Governor Armijo (governor of the State of New Mexico), who resided at Santa Fe, with a complaint that the Americans were making a disturbance, and they could do nothing with them. The governor, with a strong body-guard, soon appeared on the scene, and demanded admittance, which was granted, on condition that he should leave his guard outside, only bringing his servant in with him. On entering the hall, he was warmly received, and, after partaking of the hospitalities of the party (mostly whisky), he felt in a dancing mood himself, but did not like our music, and so sent for his own musicians.

By the time the music arrived, it was nearly four o'clock, and, as the presence of the governor was considered an event which required many pledges of esteem, the whole party, including the governor and ladies, was in a sad condition, and the dancing was anything but graceful. The doors were not opened till nine o'clock, when those who could re- tired.

There was a wicked joker in the American party, named Gabe Allen, who, when the governor yielded to sleep, had him carried to a room adjoining, and

64 GABE ALLEN.

laid on a bed between two women, who were in the same condition. About nine o'clock, the governor's wife, attended by two soldiers, came in search of him, fearing he might have received some bodily injury at the hands of the revelers. When her anxiety was at the highest pitch, she was conducted by Allen to the room where her husband lay in his drunken stupor. On seeing him and his companions, her anxiety changed to rage, and she "went for" him in a manner that was very pleasing to Allen, in his half- tipsy condition. After some words between the governor and his wife, Allen and I escorted him to his residence, where we left him to the tender mercies of his wife, who would listen to no explanations by Allen, tending to establish the innocence of her hus- band.

Gabe Allen, the perpetrator of this practical joke on the governor, was a tall, slim, light-complexioned man, always ready for a joke or a perilous adventure. I was associated with him much of the time for a number of years. He has acquired considerable property, and is now living at Wilmington, Los An- geles county, California.

A few days afterward, two hundred Mexican troops came from the State of Chihuahua as an escort for a specie-train of pack-mules, in charge of a conductor, which money was delivered to the governor of New Mexico, our friend of the fandango. Two or three days after their arrival at Santa Fe, they called on the governor for payment for their services, which he objected to giving. The soldiers formed on the square, and said they would have their pay or blood. The governor offered them a draft on the State of Chihuahua, which they refused to accept, as their

DIFFICULTY WITH CHIHUAHUA SOLDIERS. 65

orders were to collect pay from him for whom the service was rendered. There were about one hundred and seventy Americans then in Santa Fe, and the governor called on them for assistance. I asked Kit Carson's advice on the matter, and he replied that he thought it was fair to help the governor out of this scrape, as he had befriended us in our difficulty with the Mexicans at the fandango. We all gathered our arms, excepting a few men left as a guard for our teams, wagons, &c., and presented ourselves to the governor, ready for action. By the time we reached the palace, the Chihuahua soldiers, on the plaza in front, were drunk and fighting among themselves. Our American friends, about one hundred strong, formed in line in front of the palace, in connection with about the same number of the governor s troops. The governor now sent word to the officers of the Chihuahua troops that he was ready to fight any time they were.

Gabe Allen and Kit Carson now interfered, and ad- vised a compromise, which was agreed upon, the governor agreeing to advance ration-money sufficient to take the Chihuahua troops home, and to pay thirty- seven and a half cents per day to each soldier for eighteen days of service, which money was immedi- ately distributed, and they were ordered to leave town instanter, or they would be put out. After some little delay and difficulty in the distribution, they moved off, out of the place, toward home, and the governor, being highly pleased, remarked, "It's now my treat." We were all called into his grounds; wines and differ- ent kinds of liquors were set out, and a jolly time commenced. Peg-leg Smith, hopping around on his wooden leg, with his rifle on his shoulder, got drunk

5

66 ENGAGEMENT WITH SPEYERS.

as usual. As we all had our rifles, it was a mixed scene, warlike and yet convivial.

Mr. Speyers finished recruiting his teams, repairing his wagons, &c, and, in the spring of 1841, started his train for Chihuahua. Myself and all the Shawnees were engaged by him, and went on with his train; but Smith and Carson returned to Bent's Fort, in company with other trappers.

CHAPTER IV.

WE met with no particular adventures, after leav- ing Santa Fe, until we had traveled about one hundred and fifty miles, to a small village on a tributary of the Rio Grande, when, one morning while driving in our mules and preparing to start the train, a band of Navajo Indians attacked us, for the purpose of creating a stampede among our mules. They did not succeed in getting any of our animals, and one of the Indians paid the forfeit of his life, as Spiebuck shot him at long range.

We had no further trouble till we reached Dead Man's plain, some two hundred and fifty miles from Santa Fe. This desert is ninety miles wide; and we rested on the border of it over one day, to rest our mules and provide water, preparatory to the terrible trial, as we were to travel night and day till we should strike the Rio Grande again. The morning; we were to start across the desert, I was on guard with eight others, and, just before daylight, nine Apaches made a raid on us, stampeding our mules, running them over three or four of the guard, and breaking one man's ribs. In our train were seventy-five wagons, ten mules to each wagon, and there were about seven hundred of the mules run off. It was all done by the nine Apaches, who ran in among the mules, rattling buffalo hides and stones in gourds, scaring the animals fearfully.

We were now in a bad predicament. Nearly all our

68 PURSUIT OF APACHES.

mules were scampering over the plain, and our camp thrown into terrible confusion. As soon as possible, I mustered a party of eighteen, saddled our best remain- ing mules, and, taking some bacon and bread, started in pursuit; feeling rather sore that the mules should be run off while I had charge of the guard, and deter- mined to bring them back, or leave my scalp with the Apaches. In our party I had James Littleton and several other Americans, with Spiebuck and some of the best shots among the Shawnees,—all picked men. We followed the tracks to the Rio Grande, and found the mules had crossed by the help of other Apaches, who had here joined the raiding, thieving Indians. The river was high, and we had to stop and hastily construct a raft to carry us over with our rifles and provisions, swimming our horses alongside. This de- tained us all day, and at night we slept on the opposite bank, wet and chilly, but determined to give chase as soon as it became light enough to see the tracks. Spie- buck took the lead, and we followed as rapidly as possible. The fourth day, our bacon and bread gave out, and we had nothing to eat. The fifth day, the largest game we saw was jack-ass rabbits, of which we killed two and divided among the company of eighteen persons. On the sixth day, I shot a wolf, but its flesh was so poor and bad-flavored, that we could not eat it, but lay down that night, hungry and nearly discour- aged. The sixth night, we held a council to decide whether to return or go forward, which was decided in favor of going ahead to the next mountain, and then, if no smoke appeared, or other signs of Indians, we would return. The seventh day, upon reaching the top of the hills, we found one of the mules with a leg broken by getting into a crevice in the rocks.

ATTACK ON APACHES. 69

"Here is my off- wheel mule, Poor Old Ned," said Enoch Barnes, one of the Americans in our party. We killed the mule and took off all his meat, packing it 0:1 the rear of our saddles, and proceeded down the other side of the mountain to a green flat, or "bottom," where we found good water and plenty of grass for our jaded animals. There we feasted on sweet mule-meat, without salt. Spiebuck said he was confident we should soon overtake the Indians, as the tracks were fresh. With only three hours' delay for feeding our animals and refreshing ourselves, we proceeded on our way, and just before sundown found two more mules that had given out. Spiebuck noticed that the animals were sweating, and remarked that the Indians were near. We took an early start the next morning, and soon arrived at the spot where the Indians had just broke camp, probably not two hours before. There was still fire burning, and remnants of a mule which had furnished their breakfast. Spiebuck, after closely examining the signs, said there were less than twenty-five Indians in the party. After going five miles further, we came in sight of our animals feeding. As the feed was good, the Apaches had stopped, and some of them were watching the stock, while nine were lying down in a hollow, apparently asleep. Dismounting from our mules, we advanced very cautiously, without being discovered, till we arrived on the bank above the sleeping Indians, when, each picking his man, we fired and killed or wounded the whole of them. At all events, we brought away nine scalps; but there were ten or twelve more Indians on the other side of the ravine, who fled up the hillside and escaped, though we fired at them and pursued them a short distance. Then we gathered our animals

70 "MULE VENISON."

together and started back as quickly as possible; for we were within one day' s travel of the Apache nation, and it was unsafe to stay long.

We started back with more animals than we lost, for we gained several mules from the Apaches whom we killed. We were pursued and fired upon, just as we arrived at the Rio Grande, by two hundred Apaches. The river having fallen, we forded it quickly, and were not pursued beyond the river, for they knew we were prepared to give them a warm reception. We reached our camp safely with the mules, after an absence of two weeks, and found that our friends had given us up for lost, knowing the light stock of provisions we had taken and the extreme danger of the enterprise.

There was great joy in camp when we returned. That evening we carried out a plan we had formed while on our return, to give those who remained in camp a taste of what we had encountered in the pur- suit. They came around us as we were unsaddling our mules, and, seeing what remained of Barnes's Old Ned, asked what that was. We very soberly told them it was venison,—the remainder of a fat buck we had shot. As they had been living for some days on bacon, beans, &c, they were all very anxious for pieces of it. We very generously supplied them, and soon a number of fires were started and the meat put down to roast. They all declared it to be the sweetest meat they ever tasted. After they had finished eating it, we disturbed their stomachs somewhat by telling them they had been feasting on Old Ned, whom they all knew very well, when some of them were dis- posed to resent it, but finally called it a good joke.

Mr. Speyers, having given us up for lost, had gene back to Santa Fe, to purchase a fresh supply of mules,

STARTING ACROSS DEAD MAN'S PLAIN. 71

and we immediately started a messenger to inform him of the recovery of his animals. He had not completed any purchases, and came back at once. Upon seeing us safe, and hearing of the perils of our expedition for the recovery of his mules, he was highly pleased, and paid us liberally, besides promising us one hundred dollars for each of the nine Apache scalps when we should arrive at Chihuahua, which promise he faith- fully kept.

Owing to the jaded condition of the mules, Mr. Speyers sent several wagons back ten miles to a Mexican settlement for corn, and we rested five days, herding the mules under a double guard, day and night. On the sixth day, we started to cross the ninety-mile stretch of desert, where there is not a drop of water or a stick of wood. We started at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and traveled till the next morning at 9 o'clock, when we were compelled to lay by on account of the extreme heat. We resumed our march in the evening, and thus traveled for three nights. The second day, we were overtaken by two Mexican mail-carriers, who were nearly in a perishing condi- tion, for want of water and provisions, and we supplied them. The next night, while I was driving the forward team, I became very sleepy, and got off and walked alongside to keep awake. Suddenly I stumbled over a man lying in the road, and fell, with my hand striking his face, and my flesh crept on my bones when I discovered that his head and face were mashed and bloody. I stopped the train, and Mr. Speyers, who rode in a carriage, drove up, and was considerably frightened when he saw, by the light of his lantern, that the body was that of one of the Mexican mail- riders, who had been fed by us the day before. We

72 FALSE ALARM.

found, a few feet distant, the body of the other unfor- tunate carrier, and both were fearfully gashed by tomahawks.

Speyers ordered Spiebuck and a party of our Indian companions to go forward, and proceed cautiously, for fear of a surprise by the Indians. We picked up the dead men and placed them in a wagon, and gathered up the mails, which were scattered over the ground, taking them along with us. I didn't feel sleepy any more that night. We arrived at the Rio Grande the next morning, where we found a splendid camping- ground, and concluded to stop over one day, as there was plenty of grass, with wood and water. Here we buried the two mail-carriers.

The Shawnees went out for game, and succeeded in killing four deer. They reported that they saw fresh tracks of Indians, and advised us to be careful. We were so apprehensive of an attack, that we took extra pains to secure our stock, and made a Mexican boy sleep among the mules, holding the bell-mare. This was a grayish spotted mare, that all the herd would follow. That night, after changing the guard, the camp was alarmed by the report of a gun, and by this Mexican running in with his mare. We inquired of him who fired the gun, and one of the guard, a Dutchman named Charlie Mayer, said he discharged his piece at an Indian who was skulking out beyond the mules, and said he, "Follow me, boys, and I'll show you the Injuns." A party went with him, and, discovering an object that, in the darkness, resembled an Indian, they fired into it; but, as it did not move, they went up to it, and discovered that it was only a black stump, and they returned to camp badly sold. Mr. Speyers, noticing the stump, the next

ATTEMPTED SURPRISE. 73

morning, with two bullet-holes in it, said it was good target-practice for night- work.

Next day we proceeded to a place called Dona Anna, where Mr. Speyers reported to the authorities the deaths of the two mail-carriers, and delivered their mail, or what there was left of it. He decided to rest there that day, and bought feed for his stock of the Mexicans. I had the ill-luck that day to break the main-spring of my rifle, and, as I was to have charge of the guard that night, Mr. Speyers gave me a double- barreled shot-gun, which I put in order and loaded with fifteen buck-shot to each barrel. Our animals were turned into a field that had no fence on one side, next the river, for it was a bluff bank, four or five feet high. The Mexicans told us to beware of certain Indians who were lurking about, stealing horses, &c, while they pretended to be friendly. My guard came on duty at midnight, and, after placing them at favor- able points to protect the mules, I took my station on the river-bank, near a cottonwood-tree.

Soon after I had thus taken my position, I saw a mule looking across the river as though some object attracted his attention. Turning my eyes in that direc- tion, and looking sharply, I noticed a shadow approach- ing the river from the other side, which I soon made out to be an Indian, advancing silently into the water. The mule, becoming more alarmed at this, snorted.

"What's that?" whispered Amos Hambright, one of my guard, a few steps distant from me.

"Keep still," I answered in a low tone, moving toward him, and keeping the cottonwood-tree between me and the Indian.

I cocked my gun, and got down behind the tree, as I knew the fellow would come up the bluff by the path,

74 SHOOTING A RAIDER.

which would cause him to pass within a few feet of the tree. When lie had got half- way across the river, he was alarmed by the mule snorting a second time, and paused for some minutes, but finally came over and began crawling up the bank toward me. When he had got within two or three lengths of my gun, there was another snort from several mules in the vicinity, and the Indian stooped down, with his back toward me and his face near the ground, to listen. I thereupon poured into the small of his back fifteen buck-shot, which killed him instantly. At the noise of my gun, 1 heard a clatter of hoofs on the opposite bank of the river, and a "What's the matter?" from Hambright, who came running up.

"Matter enough," I answered; "I 've just killed an Injun, and there are plenty more on the other side."

The mules stampeded, and the Mexican bell-boy, who had foolishly tied the bell-mare to his leg, and laid down for a nap, was dragged some distance over the field, with the frightened animals trampling on him. Not hearing from him, we went in search, and found the poor fellow insensible, with his face mashed and his ribs broken in. He was untied and taken to a wagon, where he remained some time before coming to, and he was on the sick-list for a good while after. The bell-mare was led into our corral, which was formed near the road on the outside of the fence, by ranging the wagons in a circle, with the wheels tied together by ropes, and an opening at one side like a horse-shoe. The mules all followed the mare into the corral.

"Who fired that gun?" inquired Mr. Speyers.

"I did," was my reply.

"Did you shoot another black stump? " was his

next question.

SPIEBUCK'S PEACE. 75

"No," I said; "I didn't shoot a black stump, but I shot a mighty black Indian."

"I would rather see him than to hear tell of him," said he.

Several of us took a mule down to where the Indian lay, and, tying a rope around his neck, we fastened it to the pommel of the saddle, and dragged the man into camp.

"Mr. Speyers, here 's your stump," I said, with a laugh.

"Not much stump about that fellow," said he, gazing at him in surprise.

"Will you have him scalped, or take him as he is?" I asked.

"He will do as he is," said Speyers.

The Indian was scalped, however, and dragged off and thrown into a hollow. The mules were let out of the corral again to feed in the field, as soon as we saw there was no more danger; while I reloaded my gun, and went back to my station, seeing no more thieving Indians that night.

At breakfast, next morning, Mr. Speyers told me he thought he should raise his price for the scalps of such Indians as that, and this one was worth about one hundred and fifty dollars. He was the biggest Apache I ever saw, measuring full six feet four inches; but usually the Indians of that tribe are rather under size.

That afternoon, while we were moving down the Rio Grande, nearly one hundred Apaches appeared on the other side of the river, and made signs and called to us in Spanish, that they were friendly, and wanted to make peace with us. Spiebuck shot one of them, at the same time calling out, that was the peace he had for them. They then dispersed, and we saw no more

76 PASO DEL NORTE.

Indians for some time. The third day after this, we arrived at the Mexican town of Paso del Norte, a place of some eight thousand inhabitants. The cross- ing of the river here is dangerous, as its bed abounds in quicksands. We had to double teams to each wagon, and cross one at a time, keeping in motion; for? if allowed to stop, the wagon and mules sink immediately. Notwithstanding our precautions, one of our heaviest loaded wagons halted in the middle of the river, and at once sank, till all the goods were wet, and we had to pack the load ashore on our men's backs, before the wagon could be drawn out.

We remained at Paso del Norte six days, recruiting our mules and drying our goods. We spent the time very pleasantly, among other pleasures attending sev- eral fandangoes. The place is handsomely built up. Fruits and grain are abundant, and the land is rich and well-watered by irrigation. At this point, the river becomes the boundary between New Mexico and Chihuahua.

The seventh day after our arrival, we renewed our journey down the right bank of the river, and made about fifteen miles, when we camped. Spiebuck said, as we were pretty well out of danger now from the Apaches, he would go out and get a deer. Some half an hour later, we heard several shots in the direction he had gone, and ten of us mounted and started off to see what was the matter, and, after traveling a short distance, we saw about twenty Apaches, armed with guns, bows, and arrows, fighting with Spiebuck, who was nowhere to be seen. The Indians ran when they discovered us, and we, fearing they had killed Spie- buck, commenced a search for him, finding him in a little cave barely large enough for him to lie down

SINGLE-HANDED FIGHT WITH APACHES. 77

in, the mouth of which was nearly closed by a large stone. He could load his rifle while he lay on his back as well as standing up, and, using the rock at the mouth of the cave (which was a good protection for his head) as a rest for his rifle, he could pick off the Apaches at a long range. He had killed three of them in this manner, and escaped with slight injuries himself, though around the rock were battered bullets and an armful of arrows. He had got one eye full of sand, but thought the three scalps he took off the Apaches' heads a good thing, and better than so many deer. He went into camp with the scalps elevated on a pole, and attracted much attention. Mr. Speyers complimented him for his bravery, and promised him three hundred dollars for the scalps at Chihuahua, from the authorities.

We traveled one day more down the Rio Grande, and then, leaving the river, took a southerly direction straight for Chihuahua, arriving at Sacramento, about fifteen miles from Chihuahua, the fourth day after leaving the river. Here we discharged and "cached," or concealed, four wagon-loads of contraband goods, to escape seizure at Chihuahua, and left four of our Shawnees to watch them. The next afternoon, we arrived, with our train, before the custom-house at Chihuahua, and an officer and ten privates watched our wagons, to see that no goods were taken out till we had paid the duties. The next day, we were allowed to discharge our freight, and the first thing Mr. Speyers did was to establish a store for trading purposes.

Some six days after our arrival at Chihuahua, an American named Riddle volunteered to bring in the concealed goods left back at the "cache," saying he could do it without danger. Mr. Speyers told him to

78 FAIR AT SAN JUAN.

bribe the custom-house officer, and he consented. So did the custom-house officer consent, for he had been bribed before. I was detailed to assist in bringing in these goods to the city. The customs official in- structed us as to which side of the city to come in, agreeing to meet us a mile from town. He met us, with a rile of ten soldiers, about midnight, and escorted us secretly to a room, where our goods were dis- charged, and the official was paid one hundred dollars, which he said was a good night's job,—far better than he expected, and more than he could make in a month out of government! His soldiers were each presented by Mr. Speyers with a dollar, a pair of shoes, and a bottle of whisky, the last of which they could fully appreciate.

We stayed in Chihuahua some two months (Novem- ber and December, 1841), enjoying ourselves very much among the Mexicans of both sexes, who were remark- ably friendly, as we had plenty of money.

Being out of employment, and ready for an adven- ture, I was selected, with several others of the party, to go with a train of wagons loaded with goods for the fair at San Juan, which place is very central and con- venient for people to meet from all parts of Mexico. This trip occupied eighteen days. This fair is the worst place I ever saw, for thieving, gambling, and vice of all sorts. The rich people play a game called monte, at which they sometimes stake thousands of dollars; while the lower classes indulge in bull-fights, cock-fights, and all sorts of low gambling. The place is situated near the San Juan river, under a hill, and there are not over four thousand inhabitants when there is no fair. This great carnival lasts from fifteen to twenty days, and is thronged by Mexicans, Ameri-

MEETING WITH COMANCHES. 79

cans, French, Germans, Spanish, and all sorts of people, to the number, perhaps, of fifty thousand. At the close of the fair, which is intended for trading purposes mainly, we started on our return.

One morning, while we were on our homeward journey through the state of Durango, moving quietly along, the train of seventy wagons being stretched along some two miles, I, being in advance, discovered a body of about four hundred Indians. On their approach, the alarm was passed along to the rear of the train: "Corral your wagons and teams! Fix for a fight! The Indians are coming!"

Putting a white flag on the ramrod of my gun, I made directly for the Indians; for, by certain pecu- liarities, I knew they were a war-party of Comanches, who were on a Mexican raid. One of the party ad- vanced to meet me, in response to signals I had made, and, after each had dropped our arms, we advanced for a friendly greeting. All my friends were calling out to me to come back, or I should be killed. They were not aware of my acquaintance with the Comanches, nor of my being able to speak their language. Upon meeting the Indian, he knew me in a moment, jumped from his horse, and embraced me. He inquired if those were my teams, and I replied that they were. I asked after my wife and child and other friends in their tribe. He said they were well, but that my brother-in-law ("Old Wolf's" son), the first chief, had been killed, and that he was chief in his place; also, that Henry Brown, the next in command, was back in their war-party. I told him to wait for me, and I would go and get them some presents.

I soon returned, with pipes, tobacco, flannel, and handkerchiefs for the Comanches, and, meeting the

80 EXPLANATIONS TO FRIENDS.

chief again, we went back to where he had left his warriors formed for battle. Upon arriving among them, they all knew me, dismounted, and formed a ring for smoking. I saw Henry Brown, and had a sociable smoke with him and the chief. Henry could not be told from an Indian, except by his long red hair, which hung in plaits over his shoulders.

They asked me if I knew where the Mexicans had any horses. I answered that there were horses in almost every direction, probably; but the country was new to me, and I was on a peaceable trading expe- dition. We then mounted our horses, and they told me not to be afraid of them, but turn our mules out to feed at night, and they would not molest them. Then, with a rousing war-whoop, they darted away over the plain.

On my return to the train, our owners and teamsters all gathered around me, asking what the Indians had said. I told them not to be uneasy; that I spoke the Comanche language, and they were friendly Coman- ches, with a captive American among them, who was second chief. They inquired how I came to know their language, and I explained by telling them of my four years' experience among them. They were so thankful for this providential escape from the Indians, that they made up an extra purse of one hundred and fifty dollars for me on our return to Chihuahua.

CHAPTER V.

SOON after I returned to Chihuahua, I was informed that a white man, named James Kirker, a Scotch- man, was chief of the Apache nation, and that the gov- ernor of Chihuahua had offered a reward of nine thou- sand dollars for his head. The Apaches had stolen great numbers of mules from the State of Chihuahua and sold them in New Mexico, through Kirker's agency. He had sold the property and put the money in his pocket intending never to return to the Apache nation.

Kirker was a blue eyed, gray haired and gray whiskered man, about fifty years old, short and stout, weighing probably about one hundred and seventy- five pounds. He was a very hard drinking man, which may have had some connection with his mysterious death, as he was found dead in his cabin at Mount Diablo, California, in 1852. He died poor, as his habits were such that he could never keep what he acquired.

After the governor offered the reward for his life, Kirker desired to treat with him, and proposed to help him kill off the Apaches, as he knew their traits, and would turn against them if the governor would co- operate with him and spare his life. This proposal, which was sent by a friend, was accepted, and he soon same down to Chihuahua for a conference with gov- ernor Trios.

He stated that he had been taken prisoner by the Apaches while trapping; that he had no sympathy

6

82 JAMES KIRKER.

with them, but had taken the part he had to save his own life; and that this was the first chance he had to escape from them.

Mr. Kirker then came to ns Americans and Shawnees, who had come from, various quarters as teamsters and guards, and were now out of employment. Spiebuck was at the head of the Shawnees of our party, and they numbered about seventy, and of the Americans there were nearly a hundred in the city who regarded me as their leader, now, as Kit Carson was absent at Bent's Fort.

Take the party all together they were a fearful set to behold. But the Shawnee trappers and guards har- monized very well with our teamsters and hunters, as a general thing, especially when any danger was feared, or an expedition planned against the savages. Then all hands were united as one common brotherhood.; and we would fight certain tribes of Indians for the fun of the thing, and for common humanity, even if we were not offered a reward for every scalp.

Mr. Kirker asked us, when we were mostly assembled together, whether we wanted to go out on an expedi- tion to fight the Apaches.

Spiebuck, speaking for his band, said if the govern- ment of Chihuahua would give him fifty dollars for each scalp, he would go along with us, and risk but what he could clear his expenses. This proposition was accepted, the rest of us consenting to the arrange- ment, with the proviso that we were to have all the animals we should capture.

We at once commenced organizing our company in the "Bull Pen," or place for bull fighting. Here we stored our arms, ammunition, and accoutrements for our mules until our company was fully organized and

STARTING FOR APACHES. 83

equipped for service, which did not take long, as we were all anxious to be on the road.

We got a job, sooner than we expected, which prom- ised to be a good thing. There was a rich Mexican in Chihuahua who sent his pack train of sixty or eighty mules every year to the Mexican coast for goods. On its return this year, 1842, every man accompanying the train, excepting one, was killed within ten miles of Chihuahua, by the Apaches, and the mules and goods taken away by them. The single person who escaped came into the city and reported the facts of the mas- sacre and robbery, when the proprietor of the pack train came directly to us and promised that he would give us half of all the mules and goods we could recapture from the Indians.

That night we packed our provisions, mounted, and started off. We requested Mr. Pores, the owner of the train, to send the escaped Mexican to show us where the murders were committed. Spiebuck said all he wanted was to get on the track and he would soon fix the Indians. In the morning we arrived at the place of massacre, and found nine dead bodies horribly mutilated, and scalped. We were cooking breakfast when men, sent by the Mexican authorities at the re- quest of Mr. Pores, arrived to take the dead bodies into the city. After a hasty breakfast, we took the tracks of the Indians, with Spiebuck leading our party, and after going four miles found a dead mule. Tin's mule was loaded with sugar, and had given out and been lanced and left by the Apaches. We took off the pack saddle and the sugar, putting it on an extra mule of our own.

That night we reached the Indian camping ground of the first night, finding rice, coffee, and sugar scattered

84 ATTACK ON APACHE THIEVES.

about. We stopped there for rest and feed, and, start- ing early, proceeded ten miles further the next morning, where we found several more mules which had given out and been left to perish with their valuable loads strapped to their backs, the Indians having no means of saving the freight. We secured this property, leav- ing a guard to watch it, and pushing ahead with all the speed we could muster out of our tired animals, we overtook the rascals the third day, and Spiebuck, who was in advance, bade us stop, so that he could reconnoitre and find out the force of the enemy.

When he returned he reported that the Indians were all drunk. They had traveled as they supposed be- yond danger, and having found a quantity of liquor in their capture, were enjoying a good spree. There were forty- three of them, some dead drunk and some asleep, so we concluded that from their tipsy condition they would be an easy prey.

We opened out, dividing into two squads, so as to attack from opposite sides, and reached them before they noticed our approach. They were so completely taken by surprise that but few guns were discharged, the most of them being killed with knives and toma- hawks. The Shawnees immediately scalped the whole lot, and Spiebuck took charge of the ghastly trophies, giving them a little dressing of salt, to preserve them till we saw the governor again and got the money for them. We recovered sixty mules belonging to Mr. Pores, and captured besides forty-three Apache horses and mustangs. We camped on the spot that night, as some of our numerous company of Americans and Indians were about as fond of liquor as the Indians we had killed; and finding some choice wines and liquors in some of the mule packs, they soon were in no con-

AN APACHE VILLAGE. 85

dition for traveling, and it was difficult to find enough sober men for a guard for the animals.

As we were within two days' march of the principal village of the Apaches, we decided to secrete our goods, which were mostly of a valuable character, and leave behind us such animals as we should not need, with a guard over all, and with about one hundred and fifty men all told, push on and destroy the village, securing what scalps we could. Nearly every man was armed with a rifle and pair of six shooters, and we were confident of the result. We were guided by Kirker and a Mexican half-breed, who had lived among the Apaches when Kirker was their chief, who were in advance with Spiebuck.

After two days' travel we approached the main In- dian camp, and Spiebuck bade us halt our train while he went forward to take a look at their position and learn their strength. He returned saying they were over a thousand in number, counting the women and children, but did not fear the result. However, he made Kirker go forward and reconnoitre with him, and they both returned confident that the odds were in our favor. We moved our stock into a low ravine about a mile and a half from the village, and left six men to watch them. The balance of us went up on the top of a hill, where we could look down into the village with- out being discovered.

The view was splendid. The sun was just setting. Their lodges were thickly spread out in a pine grove close to a lovely lake some six or eight miles across. The sheet of water, so beautifully smooth, resembled a mirror among the hills, and there was scarcely a sound to break the stillness that reigned throughout their camp. Presently, a little after sunset, we discov-

86 PLAN OF ATTACK.

ered a war party of seventy or eighty Apaches return- ing to the village, from the direction of Sonora; and as they came around the edge of the lake, we saw that they had scalps, and made up our minds that if we let them alone till daybreak we should do better; for, no doubt they had made a capture of liquor, and would have a drunken war dance that night, which proved to be the result. Spiebuck suggested the delay, and his advice was always respected by Kirker and the rest of us.

We lunched on some provisions we had brought, and then all laid down to get a little sleep till the guard should call us, at three o'clock in the morning. Then we jumped up, and, forming into two parties, made preparations for the attack.

The day was just breaking; and Spiebuck, who had been down looking at the enemy from a short distance, said they were nearly all overcome with liquor, and most of them asleep. Three or four, however, were staggering around a camp fire, and it was important that we proceed very cautiously. Kirker led one of our parties around on one side of their camp, while Spiebuck and myself led the other and posted it on the opposite side of the camp. Kirker had a whistle, which he was to blow when all was ready, and then we were to rush in with yells, shoot all we could at the first discharge, and then finish up with our knives and tomahawks.

There was a huge negro in our company, named Andy, who had loaded his musket with buckshot. I placed him not far from me, and close to one of the outside lodges, giving him orders not to fire until he heard Kirker's whistle.

Soon, an Indian came out of the lodge near Andy,

THE ATTACK. 87

and he blazed away, without waiting for orders. He must have put a handful of buckshot in his gun, for the savage was fairly riddled. The negro was lucked over backwards by the gun, and the barrel flirted out of the stock. Upon this alarm, both parties rushed into the fight. I had been looking at two Indians, sleeping in a lodge not ten steps from me, and I jumped for them, leveling my rifle at one, while the other ran on all fours, between my legs, as I stood in the door- way, rising with me on his neck. I managed to slip off his back in a hurry, and was going to knock him down with the gun, but he ran a little distance and undertook to shoot me with an arrow, but a slug from my rifle hitting him between the shoulders, his arrow fell at my feet, harmless. The other Indian escaped from the opposite side of the tent just in time to save himself from a charge out of my revolver.

Spiebuck got into a lodge where there was a drunken warrior asleep among three or four squaws and pa- pooses. He shot the man, and tomahawked the women and children. By this time our forces were hotly en- gaged all over the camp, making every shot tell with fearful effect on the drunken and affrighted savages, who were running in all directions. Our Shawnees fought like devils, with their knives and tomahawks, after they had discharged their guns; while our Amer- icans, using their rifles and revolvers, were fast driving the miserable Apaches into the lake, or pursuing them across the valley.

I was reloading my rifle, when I noticed the negro, Andy, had caught up his gun barrel and was chasing an unarmed Indian. He threw the gun barrel with all his force after the Indian, and it struck him in the back of the head, knocking him down. Before he

88 REBUKE TO KIRKER.

could arise, the negro was on him. With an old butcher knife he then undertook to stab the Indian, but the knife struck a rib and glanced off. It was a tierce tussle, and might have resulted badly for Andy, if one of our party, named Robert Fry, had not rush- ed in and clubbed the Indian with his gun, after which Andy dispatched him easily.

Many of the Apaches sought refuge in the nearest mountain, while others rushed into the lake and were drowned or shot. We lost the chance of taking a great many scalps, from bodies which sunk in the lake, but as it was, we took one hundred and thirty- nine, and should have got many more if the brave but stupid negro had not discharged his gun prematurely.

The Apaches had their animals in a bottom, or flat, near the lake, and they started to run them off. They were followed by the Shawnees, who forced them to abandon the attempt, and they had to flee for their lives, while the Shawnees gathered together nearly a thousand horses, mules, and mustang ponies. Truly, a valuable prize.

The Indian chief, "Cachese," had recognized Kirker as the leader of this attacking party, who had made such fearful havoc with his tribe, and when he had reached the top of the hill with some of his followers, who were fortunate enough to escape, he turned around to look at the destruction of his camp. Kirker was gazing at him ; and when the Apache chief saw Kirker, he asked him what he meant by fighting them in this manner. Was he not their war chief? And had they not treated him like a brother always? And was he no longer their friend?

Turning to flee, with the feeble remnant of his once powerful tribe, he declared in a loud voice, intended

PUNISHMENT OF ANDY. 89

for many of us to hear, that Kirker was the last white man he would ever put any confidence in. Kirker felt the rebuke keenly, but allowed the broken-hearted chief to escape.

Kirker ordered me to take twenty men, at once, and go and bring in our animals, and the six men, which we had left behind in the ravine. This I did without delay, for there was some danger of their being cap- tured by the retreating Apaches. When we had got them united with the thousand animals taken from the Apaches, we were all ready to start on the return trip to Chihuahua, provided our Shawnees had finished scalping the Apaches.

On my return to the grove, among other startling and singular spectacles, was our negro Andy, tied to a tree, and groaning, and calling loudly for help. Kir- ker and Spiebuck took this method of punishing him for firing his gun too soon. By my advice, the poor fellow was released; but not till after Spiebuck had threatened his life if he ever disobeyed orders again. He said the reason he did not scalp him then was be- cause his kinky, wooly scalp would not fetch a cent.

Among the slain, was found the body of our Mexi- can half-breed guide, who had assisted in piloting us to this place. He had got frightened when the fight commenced, and started to run, when a Shawnee had thrown a tomahawk at him, which struck him on the head and killed him.

"Here," said Spiebuck to some of his Shawnees, "scalp that fellow."

"No," we replied, "he is our guide."

"No difference," answered Spiebuck, "he is dead now; he won't know it; and his scalp is worth fifty dollars, and is as good as any."

90 ANCIENT RUINS.

So they scalped our friend, to please Spiebuck.

At this fight, we rescued a number of Mexican wo- men and children, and made prisoners of nineteen young Apache squaws. In scouting around the head of the lake, on the opposite hill-side we found about three hundred head of sheep and goats, which the Apaches had no doubt stolen from the Mexicans, and we took them to camp and gave them in charge of the Mexican women and children.

We found, close to this lake, on a small stream of water, some ancient ruins,—the cement walls and foundation stones of a church; and a lignum vitæ cross, which seemed as sound as ever it had been. We also found remains of a smelting furnace, a great quantity of cinders, and some dross of silver and copper. From the appearance of the ruins, it seemed as if there had once been a considerable town there. The lake was the head waters of the river Yagui.

Gabe Allen, who was in our company, found in a hollow, a piece of gold, nearly pure and weighing ten ounces. That afternoon we met in council, reporting to Kirker the finding of the ruins, the gold specimens, etc. He said that there was extreme danger of having two or three thousand warriors down on us if we staid there long enough for the whole Apache nation to be aroused. He therefore counseled the utmost haste in leaving the country, even if it abounded in gold speci- mens. We had a flock of sheep to hinder us in trav- eling, and a large drove of other animals to attend to. So we packed up at once for Chihuahua, thinking we could return at some future day, with a larger force, and dig gold.

We left the country with regret, for it possessed marvelous beauty, fertile soil, and had every indica-

SPIEBUCK AND SPENCER. 91

tion of rich, mines, unworked, probably, by civilized man, to this day. Besides the remains of furnaces, we saw old mine shafts, that had been worked, appar- ently long before, by Mexicans. Specimens of gold, silver, and copper ore that we took to the mint at Chi- huahua, were assayed and pronounced very rich. For the information of the public, let me state more, particularly, that this lake is on the westerly side of the Sierra Madre (Mother Mountain), between the States of Sonora and Chihuahua. The valleys in the vicinity are broad, and the soil well adapted for culti- vation. Around the lake were growing large quantities of wild Indian tobacco.

On arriving at the place where we left the property of Mr. Pores with a guard, we found it all safe as we had left it; the animals, it will be recollected, had already been joined with ours. Considering our ex- traordinary luck, Kirker thought it best to examine the goods, and see if there was not a little good liquor left; and as a consequence, most of our force got drunk, for they found nearly twenty gallons of choice whisky in bottles among the goods.

The next morning, while on the march, a man named John Spencer, being ahead, saw a deer asleep on the side of a hill, with his head laid over on his side. He dismounted, and was slipping along to get a good shot at the deer without alarming him, when Spiebuck, who was just behind him, cocked his rifle, and about the time Spencer was going to shoot, burst out with a tre- mendous war whoop, and as the deer jumped up to run, shot him, while Spencer stood silent and amazed.

"Go and get your deer," said Spiebuck, sternly, "and never take advantage of a poor animal, while he's asleep."

92 ESCAPE OF ONE OF THE SQUAWS.

Spencer secured his deer, and it made a capital sup- per that night, for some of us, but Spencer looked bluish, and didn't relish the reproof, as it reflected on his skill with the rifle.

Late in the afternoon, just before we camped, I was made the victim of misplaced confidence, and in a way which did not tend to raise me in the estimation of Spiebuck.

I was at the rear of the train, riding carelessly along in company with the young squaws, and some of the Mexicans we had rescued. On coming to a small stream of water, one of the squaws made known by signs that she wanted a drink. I dismounted, drank myself, and told one of the Mexican boys to carry her some water in his gourd, while I fixed my saddle, which had got loose, laying my gun down for that purpose.

The whole train was ahead. The squaw seeing her chance for an escape, broke the gourd over the boy's head, drenching him with water, and wheeling her horse, she was off in a twinkling. Although we ex- pected to realize the same sum for the squaw prisoners as for the scalps, I could not think of shooting this young girl, for she was barely sixteen years of age, even if in addition to her own scalp, she did take away one of our horses. I went forward to Kirker, and reported that one of the squaws had escaped, and gave the particulars.

Spiebuck was quite indignant, and said he would have shot her if he had been in the rear of the train, and there would have been a scalp and a horse saved. Before we started next morning, Spiebuck mounted all the squaws on the poorest animals we had, so they could not get a chance to run away.

RECEPTION AT CHIHUAHUA. 93

The next day we readied the Mexican settlement of San Andreas, where we laid over two days, on account of our pack mules having very sore backs. We then resumed the march, and in three days more arrived in Chihuahua, having traveled slowly, on account of the sheep and goats. Our arrival was anticipated; for Mexican couriers had gone ahead and reported to the governor that we were coming, with many prisoners, scalps, and a large drove of captured animals.

Five miles out of the city, we met the governor, with a band of music, his wife with him in a carriage, and hundreds of people, who had come out to greet us with a cordial welcome.

The governor pronounced us a brave set of men, and inquired how many men we had lost. We reported that the half-breed Mexican, who went out as our guide, and two Shawnees were killed, and two or three slightly wounded.

Spiebuck, who had charge of the scalps, which were packed on a mule, ordered the driver up to show them to the governor.

"What d'ye think o' them fellers?" said Spiebuck, triumphantly, to the governor.

The governor asked him how many there were. Spiebuck replied that there were one hundred and eighty-two; besides a good many sunk in the lake before he could get them off. Also, eighteen good scalps on the heads of as many squaws we had brought along as prisoners.

This declaration amused the governor very much, and he ordered the liveliest music while we were being escorted in. When we arrived at the plaza in front of the palace, three cheers were given by the great crowd around, for Captain Kirker and our party. The

94 DELIVERY OF SCALPS.

scalps were then counted and delivered to the gov- ernor, and a receipt taken. After this receipt was given, Spiebuck brought up the Indian girls, and said, "Here's eighteen more." The governor refused to re- cieve them as scalps, or to pay for them at any price, when Spiebuck said if all he wanted was to have their scalps taken off, it was but a small job; and taking out his hunting knife, started for one of the girls, who ran screaming and terrified towards me for protection. The governor then called out to him to hold on, for he would pay for them as scalps. He took charge of them, and locked them up in a room by themselves.

After this part of the business had been transacted, Kirker brought forward the rescued women and chil- dren, and delivered them, stating that we looked to the authorities to send them home. For our part, we made them a present of the sheep and goats, and looked to the citizens of Chihuahua to come forward liberally with gifts of clothing, etc., as they were very destitute. The governor cheerfully promised to assist them.

We now went to the Bull Pen, and deposited our arms and accoutrements, discharged our cargo, sent our animals to a pasture, under protection of Mexicans provided by the governor, and went to a grand dinner Which had been gotten up in our honor, and served in the palace. It was splendid, and enjoyed by all of us; and after dinner we were invited, by the governor, to attend a ball, which he said he had prepared for us, to come off that evening. Spiebuck responded that he was no dancer, but he could drink his share of wine and whisky; which we knew to be the truth.

The ball commenced at eight o'clock, and we amused ourselves previous to that hour, by marching

VISIT TO MR. PORES. 95

around town, visiting our friends; for everybody was anxious to entertain the Apache company.

Kirker and I went to see Mr. Pores, the owner of the train we had recaptured from the Apache robbers. He was overjoyed at our success, and we arranged to divide everything the next morning, except the whisky. That, we told him, would be impossible, for what the Apaches didn't drink up, our party had fin- ished. This he laughed at, and thought we deserved much praise for what we had done towards wiping out that miserable Apache nation ; and promised to assist us in any further military movements. We appreci- ated his offer, for he could do a great deal for us, as his property in Mexico was reported to be worth two millions of dollars.

Leaving our friend Pores, we went around to Mr. Speyers' s store. He was glad to welcome us back, and presented Mr. Kirker and myself with a new suit of clothes, in which to attend the ball. The hospitality of the saloon keepers in the city was so great, that our Shawnee friends were very much elated, and went whooping and yelling over the town, like wild men.

At eight o'clock we went to the ball. Not more than ten of our company attended, as most of them were too much intoxicated to get there. Soon after three o'clock in the morning, we returned to our bar- racks in the Bull Pen, and slept till noon. Rising at the call of a messenger, we found an invitation for several of us to attend a complimentary dinner at Riddle & Stephens's hotel. After dinner, we went to Mr. Pores's, and with him and his son, proceeded to the division of the recovered property, dividing equal- ly all the mules that bore his brand. And we also turned over to him half the goods. After this was

96 CONFERENCE WITH THE GOVERNOR.

done, lie gave us a bill of sale of our share of the property; thus showing himself to be a gentleman, as well as a man of business.

A day or two after this division, we went to Mr. Potts' s mint with our metallic ores, which we requested him to assay. He found them very rich in gold, silver, and copper. We had some virgin copper, apparently pure metal, that assayed twenty-five per cent. gold.

Next day we visited the governor, to talk over mat- ters relating to our agreement. He said he had not funds to pay us for over forty scalps, but would settle for the balance soon. Kirker, Spiebuck, and myself were present. Spiebuck said that was no way to do business. It was not the way the United States gov- ernment did their business, for they always performed their agreements. We received the pay for forty scalps ($2000) and asked the governor how long before he would pay the balance. He answered that all the tobacco in Mexico belonged to the government, and as fast as he could sell it he would pay us. We left the palace, and went up to the Bull Pen, and calling to- gether all hands, reported what had taken place.

This Bull Pen, as we called it, was the amphitheater, where they had bull fights, and made a very conveni- ent head-quarters for our noisy, reckless party.

The money received by us for the forty scalps, was then divided equally among the party. Spiebuck was very indignant at not receiving his money, and said he would not work any more for such a government. Kirker and I advised him to join with us in an expe- dition to the region we had just visited. It was the richest country in the world, Kirker thought, and if the government was too poor to pay us for scalps, we could make our fortunes digging gold.

RECAPTURED ANIMALS CLAIMED. 97

The matter had been under discussion three or four days, when one day the Mexican boys who had charge of our animals, came in and reported that there were Mexicans at the pasture claiming the horses and mules we had taken from the Apaches. Kirker went and had a conference with the governor, reminding him of the contract that we were to have all we could take from the Indians, besides fifty dollars a scalp. He found several parties of Mexicans talking to the gov- ernor, with their branding-irons in their hands, and saying it was their property, and they had a right to take it wherever they could find it.

"Governor," said Kirker, "you knew, when you made this written agreement, that animals recaptured by us from the Indians, were liable to be claimed by various owners, but you promised it should be ours. Otherwise what pay do we get for risking our lives in recovering mules, &c. If your government is so weak and rotten that you can't sustain yourselves, and keep your promises, then let us know it."

"It is their property," replied the governor, "and the law gives it to them; therefore, they can take it, though I am sorry that any of the animals should be claimed, after your party have done so nobly."

Kirker returned and reported what had taken place at the palace. Spiebuck immediately commenced arming his Indians, saying he would just as lief scalp the governor of Chihuahua as anybody else. We asked Spiebuck what it was best to do in the matter. He said he was going out to take charge of the ani- mals, and if any one claimed the property he would suffer for his interference. He went to the pasture, and found a Mexican riding around among the mules, looking at them. Riding up to him, Spiebuck struck

7

98 SPIEBUCK IN WAR-PAINT.

him on the back of the head with the flat side of his tomahawk, knocking him off his horse. Alter the Mexican got up, he told him to leave; if he ever caught him there again he would scalp him. The Mexican left in a hurry.

Then Spiebuck went to the Mexicans who had been furnished with orders to take away their animals. He ordered them all to leave instantly, or his Shawnee warriors would show them no mercy. They left at once, and reported to the governor that Spiebuck and party were dangerous fellows; had called them thieves, and ordered them to leave the place.

Learning that the governor had taken sides against us in behalf of these pretended owners of the stock, our whole party became infuriated, as they saw six or eight hundred soldiers collecting, by order of the gov- ernor, at the barracks near the palace. Spiebuck put a strong guard over the animals, then went to the Bull Pen, put on his feather cap, painted his face, took a large drink of whisky, and started for the governor; with Kirker and myself, besides a number of his Shawnees, following after him to prevent any collision, or open rupture.

He rode straight to the governor's door, passing through a file of soldiers, who vainly tried to stop him. The sergeant of the guard said the governor was busily occupied, and could not be seen. Kirker and Spiebuck insisted on going in, and soon the door was open for them to enter. The governor promised that none of the animals should be taken away at present; but said he understood that Spiebuck had knocked a man off his horse, and advised him to be less violent. Spiebuck was a little better satisfied, and we all re- turned to the Bull Pen, for a consultation. He sent

DIVISION OF PROPERTY. 99

down instructions to the guard over the mules, to shoot the first Mexican that came skulking around after the animals.

"Mr. Kirker," said he, the morning after these oc- currences, "if you want to stay in such a country as this is, you can do so, but I am going to take my por- tion of the animals, and leave. To-morrow or next day the governor will come down on us with six or eight hundred troops, and then we can't do anything but submit to his infamous treachery."

Kirker insisted on his staying, saying that even if we lost a portion of the animals, our organization should be kept up. It would be advantageous in the end, and a large additional force could be speedily got together to go with us and work the mines we had discovered; but it was useless to argue the case with Spiebuck, for nothing but a separation would satisfy him. The whole force was therefore called together, and a fair division made of the property.

I told Kirker I would take my share of the animals with Spiebuck, and the Shawnees took charge of their portion, as well as mine. Having concluded to go along with Spiebuck's party, I was soon packed up, saddled, and ready for a start for New Mexico; our party now numbering only about seventy men.

The whole city was aware of our departure, but no attempt was made to detain us, or to get possession of our stock; probably for prudential reasons, for they knew we would fight for them. We afterwards learn- ed that they took most of the ponies and mules that remained with the other party.

As we rode out of the place, bidding good bye to Kirker and all our friends who remained, Spiebuck remarked to Kirker that he had but one regret on

100 OLD FRIENDS.

leaving Chihuahua, and that was that he had not the governor's scalp to carry along with him.

We traveled fast, and reached Santa Fe in eighteen days, where we stopped a week to recruit our animals. I sold to a party of traders there, all of my animals, except the two mules presented me by "Wolf" and the horse given me by my wife. These were prized by me as keepsakes, and I had taken the best care of them, and money could not buy them. The others brought me about $2500.

In Santa Fe I had the great pleasure of meeting my friend John Batiste. I inquired after Kit Carson and Peg-leg Smith. He told me they were probably at Bent's Fort. This was in the year 1843, and as over three years had elapsed since I was at the fort, I felt quite anxious to see our old friends, the trappers, and as John was staying in Santa Fe for a few days only, on business for Bent, and would return soon to the fort, we agreed to make the trip together.

CHAPTER VI.

AFTER spending a week very pleasantly at Santa Fe,—for we found many old friends there,—Spie- buck concluded to go to Bent's Fort, with John Batiste and me, taking along with him most of his Shawnees. Thinking it best for me to revisit my Indian home among the Comanches, as soon as I had stayed a while at the fort, I laid in a stock of presents for my wife and child, father-in-law, and others in the tribe. I then informed Spiebuck and Batiste that I was ready to start the next morning for the fort, and would advise that we go by way of Taos mountain, which was agreed to.

On our way over the mountain, at a place called the Moro, the Mexicans stole in the night some eight or ten of Spiebuck's animals. There were four of the thieves, and we tracked them, killing two, the other two escap- ing in the mountains, but the animals we recovered. After four days' travel, we arrived at Bent's Fort, where we were received with many demonstrations of joy. Bent and Savery purchased all the mules that Spiebuck and his friends could spare, at good prices, —about seventy-five dollars a head. The Shawnees were delighted to receive so much gold for their ani- mals, and, before they got away from the fort, some of it was spent for choice brandies, wines, whiskies, &c. They intended to make a short stop only at the fort, as they were on their way to their old homes, on the Shawnee reservation, near Westport, Mo. However,

102 START FOR THE COMANCHES.

they stayed here several days, feasting and carousing. Bent was fitting up a large train, to take over forty thousand dollars' worth of furs to Independence, Mo., thence to be shipped on steamboats to St. Louis. I was requested to take charge of the train. I told him of my plan to see my old Comanche friends, and visit my wife and child; therefore I could not accommodate him. Finally, Mr. Savery decided to go himself with the train, and they engaged Spiebuck and his band to escort the train till it was out of danger.

When the train was ready, it consisted of twenty-four ten-mule teams, loaded with furs and provisions. I went with them to the crossing of the Big Arkansas river, some four days' travel, and on my route to the Comanches. There I took out of a wagon the presents I had bought at Santa Fe for my family, and two bottles of whisky (which I knew "Old Wolf" was fond of), and, mounting Limber Bill, the horse my wife had given me, and leading my two mules or jacks (Brigham Young and Heber Kimball, as I had called them), I bade my companions farewell, and started across the country alone, for the only spot on this broad earth that I could call my home.

The Shawnees had tried in vain to persuade me to go along to Missouri with them, and see my father and relatives; but the painful recollections of my boyhood prevented. I did, however, send a letter to my father, by them, which they promised to deliver, in which I told him of my health and prospects, and sent my regards to my relatives and friends of my childhood. Spiebuck was the most urgent of all for me to continue with them. He even called me crazy, to start alone on such a visit, though he knew I was familiar with the country.

DANGER FROM WOLVES. 103

The first night out, I came near being eaten up by the gray wolves. They caused one of my mules to break loose, and I had a great deal of trouble getting hold of it in the morning. There were eight or ten wolves around me in plain sight, growling, snuffing, and whining, and I could not sleep, fearing they might cut my rawhide ropes with their teeth, and let all my animals loose. I scared them off, by throwing powder into the lire, and they did not return. The smell of powder is dreaded by all wild animals. My camp-fire was made of buffalo-chips and little wild cherry-tree bushes. I had to fasten my mules to this small brush, though I often carried iron stakes to drive into the ground when there was nothing strong enough growing in the way of trees or shrubbery.

I rode hard next day, and in the afternoon was sadly disappointed, on arriving at the old Comanche camp, to find it moved. I unsaddled and staked out my animals, studying what to do. I made me a cup of coffee, and roasted a piece of buffalo-meat, and just at dark I crowded down a little supper; but, though I was faint and weary, my emotions and melancholy reflections deprived me of appetite. For- tunately, I picked up my rifle and started off for a little hill, where I could see down the Little Red river, and there appeared the smoke of various camp-fires, some three or four miles off. I returned, and, saddling up, mounted and rode for the fires, for I knew they were the fires of the Comanches. After traveling two miles, I came into a great drove of horses and mules, feeding, and rode a mile or two further, through animals thickly scattered over the plain, till I came to the first lodges of the Comanche camp.

Here I gave a regular Comanche war-whoop, and the

104 RECEPTION BY COMANCHES.

Indians, jumping up, wanted to know who it was. I answered that it was their friend Hobbs. An Indian ran out, shook hands with me, and, when I asked where "Wolf's" lodge was, he said about the center of the camp, half a mile below, and he went with me to show the way. Another Indian tore off at full speed, to announce to "Wolf" and my wife that I had arrived. As we went along through the lodges, the crowd around me increased, and they made such a noise that the whole camp seemed aroused. They re- marked that I was a true friend to them now, or I never would have returned to them.

When I reached "Wolf's" tent, he and Henry and my wife and child were outside, waiting to receive me. I was pulled off my mule, and nearly squeezed to death with joyful embraces. They then unpacked and unsaddled my animals, and took care of them. I commenced taking out my presents for my wife and child, and took out one of the bottles of whisky which I had brought for "Wolf's" special benefit. He said he was n' t afraid to drink that, as he was the first we had given him years before. Among the presents which I gave "Wolf" were a nice butcher-knife and a beautiful tomahawk which had a hollow handle, a pipe on the back and a mouth-piece to screw on the handle; also, a quantity of tobacco, lots of red flannel, calicoes, beads, trinkets, &c. The beads and the flannel I told him to give his wife, my mother-in-law.

Then I got out the presents for my wife and child, which were numerous and valuable, consisting of shawls and dress-patterns, ribbons, beads, mirrors, knives and forks, thread, &c, the whole filling one of the pack-saddles, and enough to last her for years. I knew she appreciated the liberal gifts, though she