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THE LOWER FALLS OF THE YELLOWSTONE.
J 1 1
THE WONDERS
— OF
GEYSER LAND.
A TRIP TO THE
mOWSTOl NATIONAl PARK,
OF WYOMING.
Together with a thrilling account of the
Capture By The Nez Perces Indians.
AND SUBSEQUENT ESCAPE OF THE
JVATIOJVAL PARK TOURISTS,
Of Radersbiirg and Helena, Montana, in August, 1S77.
ILLUSTRATED.
By F. D. carpenter,
SON OF D. D. CARPENTER, FORMERLY OF WISCONS I^^T^-^P
BLACK EARTH, WIS. : ig:""7^ ^o^/
BURNETT 8z SON, PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS. " •'^-^-^^»
187S.
WONDERS OF GEYSER LAND.
Having heard of the curiosities of Wonderhind, and being im- pelled with a desire to view them for myself, I resolved, in July of 1S77, that I would visit them. I consulted with a friend, Mr. A. Oldham, who, also was anxious to behold the beauties of this wonderful region, and we concluded to make immediate prepara- tions for our departure. We accordingly each procured a saddle horse and a pack animal and expected to complete our prepara- tions and be upon the road by the ist of August.
A few days previous to the time of our contemplated departure, however, I met Mr. A. J. Arnold., of Blackfoot, who, upon being informed that Mr. Oldham and myself were about ready to start for the Geysers or National Park, said that if we would wait un- til he could complete his preparations he would accompany us. Being glad of his company we consented to do so, and then, since there were three of us, we altered our plans as to the manner of our going and procured a buggy.
Having completed our arrangements and purchased provisions for a six weeks camp, we left Helena on the 29th of July for my father's who resided about forty-five miles from Helena, on a small stream call Deep Creek, that empties into the Missouri River, where we proposed procuring other necessaries for the trip. Here I saw my brother-in-law, George F. Cowan, who said he would go w^ith us, as also did Charles Mann, of Radeis- burg. William Dingee, of Helena, having expressed a desire to be one ot the party we concluded that \ve would organize a larger party than we at first proposed doing and made preparations ac-
6
coixliiigly. Mrs. Cowan, my sister, and a younger sister, Ida, aged thirteen years, concluded that they would like to join the party, and a great many others said they would go with us if we would wait ten or fifteen days, but as business required that most of us be back by the first of September, we could wait no longer, and on the third day of August, having borrowed a team from my father and secured the services of a young man, named Hen- . ry Myers to take charge of it, we drove down to the river and crossed at Indian Creek Ferry.
Having crossed the river we went to Radersburg, a distance of eighteen miles from my father's where we arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon. Here Mr. Cowan, Mrs. Cowan and Mr. Mann were to join us, but being hiformed by them that they would not be ready for two or three days, we, with the characteristic safig froid of the western people, though anxious to be off, made our- selves at home.
On the 5th we bade farewell to our friends and were soon on our journey southward. I will now quote from my journal which was kej^t from the time of our departure until our capture by the Indians. The journal was left in the buggy at the time of our capture, and was picked up by Mr. Cowan as he was returning towards the Geyser Basin after being wounded by the Indians.
Sunday, August 5th. — Left Radersburg in the morning and proceeded two miles to Crow Creek, where we halted to make some prc])arati()iis that we had forgotten. At 1030 we left Crow Creek and a drive of nine miles brought us to the place of Mr. Naves. Here we halted to await the return of Cowan who had gone to Ihc residence of a man, named Wilson, to borrow a needle gun. Upon his return we proceeded along the "divide" that sep- arates the valley of Crow Creek from tliat of Jcfrerson Kiver, a distance of twenly-two miles from l<.aders1)urg. As we were leisurely wending our way up the divide at a distance of four or five miles from Naves', and when near the summit of a rise, we suddctily csj)icd tlnee antelope lying in- the road al)out three hund- red yardb nhcrid of ub. As wc approacbed they jutmpcd to their
feet and stood gazing at us as if not at all frightened. Here was meat for the larder, and we halted to give our marksmen an op- portunity to secure it. With the confidence of old hunters they dismounted and after a brief parley as to whom should the honor of "first game" be given, one of our nimrods took deliberate aim, fired — and the antelope looked somewhat surprised at the noise. Another marksman stepped to the front with the utmost assur- ance, took a long and deadly aim, fired— and the antelope began to move off. A half dozen shots were fired in quick succession, and the antelope, in honor to the salute, paused for an instant in graceful recognition and bounded away. As a matter of course, the guns were to blame.
Arriving at the top of the divide we struck a livelier gait and proceeded down the other side at about eight mdes an hour. When near the foot of the hill, I found I had lost my hat and the prospects for a bare headed campaign were imminent. Fortunate- ly Mr. Mann had an extra one that he gave me. We arrived at the Jefferson River at about 7 P. M. and went into camp about two miles from its confluence with the Missouri.
We had encamped near a ranche, and during the interval of supper getting, which the male portion of the party had gallant- ly taken upon themselves, Emma and Ida went over to it for the purpose of making the acquaintance ot the inmates. They were agreeably surprised to find that persons occupying it were old acquaintances of the Cowans, by the name of Crab, who had but recently married and moved here from Radersburg. They ac- cepted an invitation to remain for supper, and afterwards returned to camp with an invitation for the whole company to spend the evening with their new found friends.
During the absence of the ladies we were busily engaged in preparing our first meal in camp, and at the usual mountain sig- nal for refreshments, "grub pile," we proceeded to lighten the stock of provisions by , a hundred pounds or less. As the meal progressed, Dingee, who was as yet fastidious, remarked that he would "fall off twenty pounds in weight before his return," and subsequent events prove the truthfulness of the prediction, but in
8
a way not anticipated by him. Having finished the frugal repast Dingee said he "did not feel well," and in view of the quantity of provisions consumed by him it created no astonishment in the mnids of the party.
Supper over, we took a guitar and violin and with the excep- tion of Dingee, who volunteered to act as dishwasher for the oc- casion, repaired to the hosjoitable roof of the Crabs, where we passed a pleasant evening in music and song. The hour of eleven came speedily, and leaving Emma and Ida to remain over night we returned to camp. As we approached we were astonished at the appearance of Dingee, who apparently was endeavoring (as the boys put it) "to skin a cat through his mouth." He didn't look well, and an expression of ineffable disgust swept over his features when interrogated as to his "feelings." We spread our blankets on the green sward, and in a few minutes were dream- ing of the geysers, the idea of which was suggested, I presume, by the recent spoutings of Dingee and the gentle rumblings of his snores.
August 6th. — At day break Dingee, having fully recovered, was up calling all hands to "grub," and it may be presumed that we did ample justice to his bill of fare. After breakfast Cowan started down the river to get a tent at a place where Crab told us one could be obtained, and the balhnce of the party struck out on the road.
Wc crossed the river by a bridge, and beyond a slough close to the river, we came to Shed's toll bridge, about a mile and a half from camp. We turned southward, and as we were driving close to the river I had the good fortune to get three large mallard ducks that furnished an ample supply of the clioicest meat for dinner. About eight miles up the valley we saw antelope in the distance, and although Mr. Oldham and myself tried for a shot we were unsuccessful. Wc turned up Willow Creek, where we were to wait for Cowan and the buggy. Here the residents kindly informed us that the Indians would capture us, but think- ing there was no immediate danger at least, we pushed onward
leaving the Jefferson to the right. At Fredrick's mill, sixteen miles from our camp of the night previous, we stopped for dinner. Mrs. F. wished to join our party, but as she could not get ready inside ot two days we decided to go ahead, and increasing our larder by the addition of two sacks of flour which we purchased from "Mr. Fredricks we resumed our journey.
At Sterling, a mining town in the mountains, situated on Meadow Creek, twenty-six miles from Fredrick's, night overtook us and we stopped and went into camp. The "grub wagon," which we were momentarily expecting did not come and most of the party retired supperless. Cowan said that he would not go without supper if he had to wait till breakfast time, so we waited hungrily until midnight, when the rattle of wheels told of their arrival and shortly after we were busily engaged in appeasing our inordinate appetites.
August 7th, — Broke camp at eight o'clock and bade farewell to the desolated city of Sterling, which like many other mining cities, is one of the things that were. From Sterling we crossed Madison "divide" at a point where it is twelve miles from water to water. Near the summit Mr. Oldham and myself, being in advance, descried more antelope about a half mile below the road, and we determined to try our luck with the guns that had so cruelly deceived the others. I returned to the wagon for my gun, but Mr. Cowan expressing a desire to try a shot, I gave him my horse and gun, and he and Mr. Oldham started in quest of the game.
We drove down the divide, and coming to a pretty little brook that was alive with trout, we stopped for dinner. We turned up the stream to a point about a mile above the road, and halted for the "grub wagon, which, as before, we had left in charge of Myers and Mann. It came in sight, and passed us despite the yelling of the whole party. They did not hear us, and I started after them on foot. After a vigorous walk of two miles, I over- took them and turned them back into camp.
Cowan and Oldham came in sight, and we succeeded in making
10
them hear us and shortly afterwards thej rode into camp, bringing with them the hind quarters of an antelope. (It inay be noted their good luck was not accredited to the guns.) At three P. M. we were on the road again, and after a pleasant drive of fifteen jiiiles across the bench, we halted for night. As usual, our pro- visions were behind, and as we were out fishing when it passed, the prospect for supper was poor indeed. On mounting a bridge which spans the Madison near where we camped, I could see the wagon fading in the dim distance. Hastily dispatchmg one of the party in pursuit on a horse, we, in the course of an hour or so were enjoying an excellent supper, to which a fine lot of brook trout added not a little. Here, again, Dingee expressed fears relative to his anticipated "falling off" in flesh, but the party could not agree with him, inasmuch as his horse had to carry the amount that he ate, .Supper over, we passed the evening in mu- sic and song, and at eleven, "turned in" for the night.
August Sth. — The sun rose bright and clear, and this promises to be a beautiful day. We were on the move at eight o'clock. We cross' the bridge and the river bottom beyond, and about a mile from camp, strike the bench land again. We now have a i)eautlful drive up the Madison: the roads are good, and the par- ty in excellent spirits, (or the spirits in them 95 per cent, proof.) We drove twenty miles, and camped for noon, on Bear Creek. Here we met a herder hunting horses, of whom we asked how far we had come since morning. We had been traveling at a lively gate all the forenoon, and one may rest assured that thanks were not pleasantly returned, when he informed us we had come but eight miles. Oldham observed that "he looked like a man f)f truth, but that he'd bet he had lied V)y about twelve miles by' the watch," and a' reference to our guide book, showed that we had driven eighteen miles. We also found that by driving eight miles farther, we would strike a small stream, called Indian Creek, sO we concluded that we would not camp for noon, but drive (Hi to the creek and cam[) for the night.
After leaving Bear Crc-<Vk,' there was no timber, aird wc were
11
compelled to follow cow paths for a distance of ten miles, where we left the bench and drove down to a pretty stream that we rightly conjectured, was Indian Creek. We drove down the stream for a mile and selected a beautiful camprng place. We had here, fine sport fishing-, and Cowan shot some nice sage hens, and a couple of large bald headed eagles.
From our position, looking down towards the mountains, we saw, about ten miles away, what we supposed were a number of Indian ponies. Thinking to be on our guard, Dingee and iriy- self started out to scout. We passed down the creek three or four miles, struck off to the right, and came out about two miles below the objects that had excited such a warm interest. We cautiously approached, and on gaining an eminence, where we had an unobstructed view, found the objects of suspicion were an herd of cattle. We silently looked at each other, shook hands, called it "draw game," and returned to camp to relate the result, and allay the fears of the party. As usual, the evening was passed in song, and after Mr. Mann had sketched the party :;nd camp, we retired for the nig-ht.
August 9. — Again the weather is beautiful. Breakfast over, we "hitch up,"" and start up the creek, which we follow a mile and a half, when we strike a trail leading up the Madison, which we take. We follow this for twelve miles, then turn abruptly towards the river, and proceed about two miles, when we strike a little stream, where we camped for dinner. Arnold, Myers, and myself, went to the river, where we caught some fine trout, while the others were getting dinner and picking berries.
At 3 P. M. we are again on the road, and follow the trail as before. The path becomes more distinct as we proceed, and fi- nally eiTierges into a good road. X^ie road follows close by the river, and we follow it for a distance of ten miles, or to a point where a large stream, from the south-west, empties into it. This stream, just above its junction with the river, flows between two large mountains of rock, and through a dark, deep canyon^ tliut m eKtremely picttiresque. We crossed the Madlion, pick^^i^d mM"
12
horses, and after a lime spent in fishing, with excellent results, as each took a large string of trout, we partook of a hearty sup- per and "turned in."
August io. — We "rout out," as usual, to the melodious cry of "all hands on deck and "grub pile." An examination of the buggy reveals the fact that we must set the tire ere we go far- ther. We collect wood, and carry water for the purpose, and soon finish the job, in true western style of "good, if not so nice," and again set out. We follow the south bank of the river, which here flows from the south-east. The scenery is wild and beauti- ful, the river falls about four feet to the mile, with little ripples running clear across it, here and there, for a distance of about five miles, and the drive was a delightful one. We follow the river for about twelve miles, to second canyon, where it flows out of the mountains. Here we saw little cascades falling, far up the side of the mountains, for a distance of three to five hundred feet. wSparkling in the sun, they looked like threads of silver, and with their back-ground of dark green verdure, were beautiful indeed. Our road now turns abruptly to the south, and we leave the Madison, and start to cross the divide towards Henry's Lake, a distance of ten miles. To the left, the mountains tower away among the clouds, and on the right lies a roHing mountainous country. Antelope and small game are occasionally seen by the rcvid but we do not try for a shot. A pleasant drive of fifteen miles brings us to the top of the divide, and as we look south- ward we see l)elow us, glistening in the bright sunlight like a mirror, a beautiful sheet of water, dotted here and there with little islands of green. Pelicans, swans, sea gulls and geese, float- ed upon its surface. We gaze enraptured on this beautiful scene, then, with a shout, drive pejl inell towards it.
We came to the north-east end of the lake and passed on up the west side where we found a good camping ground near the rMiu:h ofa Mr. Sawlcll, which was then unoccupied. We found boats moored near us, and Arnold, Oldham, Ida and myself, i-tarted to visit an island, about a mile from shore. As we rowed
u
out we saw some fine trout below us that were distinctly visible through the clear water, and swimming near us, we saw a num- ber of swans with their young. On the island we discovered that we had found a hatching place ot wild fowls. We named the island, as does every one that visits it. As we returned, Ida threw a line over the stern of the boat and trolled for trout. She soon hooked a large salmon trout, and removing it from the hook took three more ere we reached the shore- Arriving at camp we find that the provisions are again behind, and at dark, the wagon not yet coming, Mr. Cowan mounts a horse and starts in quest of it. He returns shortly, having found it, and we soon partake of a bounteous supper.
Our camp is delightfully situated about three hundred yards from the lake on the mountain side, and \ye have a beautiful view of it as it lies calmly sleeping in the moonlight. After supper the guitar and violin are brought out and we passed a jolly evening. Mr. Dingee performing some astonishing feats which he denominated "double shuffle" and "pigeon wing," and Mr. Oldham giving vent to the poetry in his nature through the me- dium ot " Where now is them good old prophets ?" At eleven Dingee announced the circus closed until the next evening and we went to sleep with plans fully matured for to-moirow's ex- plorations.
During the night the wild birds on the lake, kept up a continu- al chorus ot discordant sounds, swans, pelicans, cranes, and geese vieing with each other in their efforts to make night hideous.
August nth, — Dingee's hungry whoopcallcd us from dream- land to the realization of a beautiful morning and ravenous ap- petites for the excellent breakfast that he had as usual prepared. During the progress of the meal he again complained of "falling off," and the party imposed such confidence in his predictions as to offer him two hundred dollars to return home and thus keep us from actual starvation. He promptly declined.
In accordance with the arrangements of the night previous, the party separated, each to seek such pleasure as his taste dictated.
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Cowan, accompanied b}' Mrs. Cowan, went in quest of deer or elk on tlie surrounding mountains, Myers and Mann took the smaller of the boats and rowed out upon the lake, as the latter wished to make some sketches, and the remainder of us concluded to visit the head waters of Snake River, the outlet of the lake. We put aboard our guns, ammunition and fishing tackle, provided an ample dinner for Dingee and the rest of the party, and shoved off for a day's cruise.
Arnold and Dingee laid claim to being " old salts," by the rea- son of their having been born upon the sea-shore, and proceeded to extem]3orize a sail from an old straw-tick, wdiich we had with us. Oldham and m3'self, being nothing but " land lubbers," could not participate in the preparations, but, nevertheless, noted them wdth interest, as we saw in their completion and application an entire absence of back aches and blisters.
The preparations completed. Skippers Dingee and Arnold, with frequent reference to their " timbers," which thejM'e-iteratcd should be " shivered," and other harder but equall}^ as choice ex- pletives, gave command: "On deck everybody!" and we " shipped oars." The breeze was not sufficienth^ strong to move us, and we " out oars " again and paddled. Dingee, after the manner of other sailors, when becalmed, stuck his jack-knife in- to the mast and swore, 3^et it brought no wind. We took in sail, and rowed toward the east side of the lake, shooting at swan as we passed, but with no success. When nearly across, a fine breeze struck us, and Skipper Dingee gave orders to hoist sail by the seaman-like command, " Sail histed ! " We obeyed instantl v, and canK> near upsetting the boat, but soon succeeded in getting before the wind, and made a delighttul run to the south end of the lake. As we neared the end of the lake, we saw two swans with their youiig, which were about as large as wild geese, swinmiing near us. We approached nearer, and the old ones Hew, l)ut we were satisfied with the young ones, five of which we shot, Aud one we capluied alive.
We made the head of the river and .landed. We strolled down the river some two miles searching for a good fishing ground.
15
and occasionally getting a shot at some geese, or an antelope on the opposite side of the river. We succeeded only In enjoying ourselves.
We spent the day in rambling aimlessly around, after the man- ner of a picnic, and towards evening returned to the boat. The wind being " dead ahead," we manned the oars and pulled for cam^D, keeping close in shore. As we passed some bushes on the bank, the hungr}^ eyes of Dingee discovered some black currants, and we must, of necessity, stoj3 and pick a few. They grew in profusion and were very large. We picked an Immense quantity; at least this is the inference from Dino^ee's assertino^ that " he had enough." The wind was now blowing strong, and paddling was no recreation. We soon tired of it, when Dingee asserted that he could sail up. We doubted it; but our doubts were partlallv removed by his self-confident assertion, " that anybody could do it who only knew how." We stood In awe of his superior knowl- edge, and gazed in silent admiration upon the man as he set the sail and quietly took the helm. The first " tack " brought us back to the river, and filled the boat one-third full of water. At- tributing his ill -success to the fi-esJi water ^ he ordered us to
shorten sail by the command, " Take down the thing,"
which we did. On being asked if " we should j^addle now or steam up," he lapsed into silence, and gave command to the "land lubbers."
A two hours' hard pull brought us to our landing, and each tak- ing a swan on his back, proceeded single file to camp, where we found all assembled, busily engaged in getting supper. Supper over, we i^assed the evening in narrating the day's adventures and music. The time for retiring soon came, when we sang our midnight yell, in wdilch Oldham musically queried as to the whereabouts of the " j^rophets," and retired.
August 12. — The usual yell of Dingee, that summons us to " grub pile," but Vvdiich never grows monotonous, again, salutes us as we turn out at the break of day. We find Dingee " heels over head" in dough; we commiserate his condition, and make haste
16
to assist him. We soon sit down to a breakfast of ducks, fish, ham, potatoes, buscuit and canned fruits, and envy not a king his delicacies.
After breakfiist we employ the time in skinning our swans, each taking one and dressing it to suit himself. It being Sunda}^ we concluded to remain in camp, but Mrs. Cowan, who had not, as yet, been on the lake, expressing a desire to go boating, we again manned the boats for another excursion. Skipper Dingee being satisfied with his nautical experiences of the day before, (and so were we) remained in camp, and we could see him sitting on the bank, jDcacefully smoking his pijoe as we pulled away. Before going, however, we asked his advice relative to handling the craft while on a " tack," and also for an explanation of the expression " luflT, luflT;" which some of the party had construed into " duff," (a seaman's joudding). He abruptly arose and told us " to take a walk," which we did — towards the boats.
We rowed about, fishing for a time ; but, growing tired of this sjDort, pulled towards some swarls that were a short distance from us. Mr. Cowan tried a long shot and hit an old one in the neck. We pulled along side of it, and, with no little trouble, succeeded in getting it into the boat. It was one of the largest birds we had ever seen, measuring eight and a half feet from tip to tip. As there were a number of young ones near, we gave chase to capture one, and, after an hour's paddling, succeeded in tiring it out and taking it captive. As we returned to camp, we secured a number of ducks, with but little effort, as they were easily ap- proaclicd, and rowed ashore about four o'clock. Myers and Mami soon apjoeared in the small boat, bringing with them scv- earl large strings of trout. Some of them weighed eight pounds each.
We turned the captive swan loose in camp, and despite the re- monstrances of Cowan's dog. Dido, who wished to show off her good (lualities, it waddled around the camp as we ate, the while eyeing us suspiciously. I wished to keep it, but finally agreed to return it to the lake, upon the party's agreeing that they would
help me catch another on our return. (It may here be noted that we did not all return this way, and those that. ({id were in a hurry.)
After supper Cowan removed the skin of the dead swan and the balance of the party prepared a quantity of fish to carrv with us to the geyser basin, distant thirty-five miles.
As we were about to retire, Arnold and Myers said they had found an inviting hay-loft near the ranch, and proposed that we take up our quarters there. Cowan would not move his tent, as he had it cosily prepared, but the remainder ot us took our blan- kets and accepted the hospitality of the loft. As we entered vv^e found some spears, used in fishing, and Arnold, M^^ers and my- self thought to avail ourselves of the pleasure thus offered us, and we started for a torch- light fish. We had a pleasant time for a halt-hour, spearing in that time some thirty-five suimon- trout. The wind arose and we returned to bed. My partner for the night was Mr. Oldham, and as I crept in beside him 1 thought the bed seemed rather hard and cold. Soon I heard complaints from the others, and after a night's fitful dozing, we arose to find we had taken possession of Sawtell's ice-house, and had made our beds on the ice. We were soon in 'camp, and were not in anywise provoked to find that Cowan and the ladies had already prepared breakfast for us.
August 13. — At nine o'clock we are again en route for ge\'ser land. The road winds around the mountains that border the north-east shofe of the lake, and as we reach an eminence at the north end, the lake lies 500 feet below us. From this point we have a most delightful view, and our artist produces his sketch book and outlines it. We halt for a time, and gaze m silent ad- miration upon the exquisitely beautiful scene. We are loth to leave, and it is with no little regret that we turn mountamward and resume our journey.
We now pass southeast, leaving the lake to the right and in the rear of us, and soon arrive at the mouth of the Targee Pass, and begin the ascent of the mountain. The pass through this
18
mountain is an easy drive, rising gradually for about ten miles. Here we came to a large spring, and stop for dinner in a grove of cotton-wood trees. We get dinner, leave our marks upon the trees w ith date, and at 3 p. m. arc in the saddle. A ride of two miles brings us to the summit of the pass, and thence we gradu- ally descend to a low marshy prairie. Crossinij this, which is about eight miles wide, we come to a large stream flowing from the mountains to the south of us, which wesupposeis the right fork of the Madison, the water of which we find is quite warm. It is too early to camp, so wc ptish onward. As wc jog slowly along, a large herd of antelope cross the road directly in front of us, but our marksmen are far in advance, on the horses.
We have now heavy timber ahead of us, and we suddenly hear the sound of approaching hoofs, and we "halt. Our horsemen burst into view, with their horses on the run, and they breatli- lessly report, " Indians coming." The "scare" does not succeed well, and then Cowan informs us there is no water in advance for a distance of ten miles.
We turn back to the water, and select a suitable camping ground for the night. Arnold and myself go fishing, while the rest of the party get supjjer. We are soon summoned by Dingee's sonorous yell. The meal passed with no incident worthy of note. Old- ham, in searching for a better seat on the grass, sat down upon some hot stewed peaches. He sprang to his feet, dropped his plate, grasped the seat of his breeches with both hands, looked heavenward, and payed emphatic tribute to his Maker by one single ejaculation, but there was none of this noteworthy, except it be his tragic pose, eloquent gestures and touching appeal. He was heartily applauded and, finding his plate, retired to the wagon tongue to rub his burn, and meditate on the possibility of iritating the saddle on the coming morrow.
Looking up the hill, wc see pack animals coming. Wc suppose that it IS (jcn. Sherman's party coming from the geysers, and with no little mterest hasten to get a better view of them. As they approach nearer we see that it is two mountaineers, who en- camp below us.
19
Supper over, we washed dishes, built our camp fire, and brought out the musical instruments. Myers and Mann went to visit the mountaineers, and soon returned with them. VVe learned that they were old mountaineers, by the name of Wood and Hicks, and were prospecting, and had left Gen. Sherman's party two days before. We were disappointed to hear that Sherman had lelt the geysers, and returned oy the way of Boseman, as we were expecting to meet him on our way. They told us that it would take us two days to reach the Park, as it would be neces- sary to cut our way through the woods. They bade us good night, and returned to their camp, while we went to sleep. "No sound broke the stillness except the occasional yelp of the Cay- ote, as he views our camp fire.
August 14. — The nights are growing cool now, as we ascend the mountains, but it only makes sleep more refreshing and gives us better reason to respond with alacrity to Dingee's unearthly yell for breakfast. I start down the river to catch the horses, and as I pass the camp of the mountaineers, on my return, they salute me with the usual style of good bye, "so long ; good luck to you," and they strike off towards Lake Henry. This is, I believe, the last that was ever heard of these two men. They were prob- ably caught by Chief Joseph's band, and it is my opuiion that I saw Wood's mare with them subsequently.
We hitch up and take to the road again, forthe Lower Geyser Basin. Aiter rising the hill our road, for a distance often miles, lies through a densely timbered country. We again strike the Madison River, and camp for our noonday meal. Here the scenery, is grand beyond description, as the river flows through tnountains miles in height, and are as rough as rocks and timber can make them. We are now about three miles from the Upper Canyon, and, finding a desirable place to halt, stop for dinner.
A mile further on we come to vast quantities of fallen timber, and we find our progress impeded to such an extent that we are compelled to call our axes into requisition, and cut our way for more than a mile, when we ogain find open timber, (I wish to
20
add that we shall present no claims against the government for Iniilduig this road, as subsequently it gave Chief Joseph a better tliance to get away from Gen. Howard, or vice vercc.)
We drive down off the mountam fo the river, which we find forks here, one branch coming from the north and the other from the east. Not knowing which of these to follow, We are evi- dently lost, but our apprehensions are soon relieved by a shout from Dingee, who has discovered the trail leading up the east fork. We follow it a short ways, and come suddenly to the mouth of the Canyon.
It is now but 3 p. M., yet we concluded to camp for the night, as we wish to make the passage of the Canyon earlier in the day.
At the supper which followed, consisting of game, fish, fruits, coffee and tea, Dingec again reminded us of his anticipated ema- ciation. It was noticeable that the fuller the fare the more he complained, and Oldham and myself were prompted to make a diagnosis of the case, and concluded that he either had the coir- sumption or had formerly been used as a government store-house. The party concurring, the committee arose and we went to bed.
xVuGUST 15. — The beautiful view that greets us in the bright sunlight of the early morning hastens our preparations to enter the canyon, and we are soon ready to cross the river, which we do innnediately below our camp. The road tollows the bank of the river, and a cjuarter of a mile from our place ot crossing we enter the U})per Canyon of the Madison.
A mere pen description of the sublimity of this magnificent mountain passage way could convey no idea of its beauties. It is nidescriba])ly beautiful and errand. The poetry of nature seems to have collected here. We cross the river seven times in passing thiough it, although it is but six miles long, and come out on a l.irge stieam that Hows from the north-east, which is called G.ib- hcn's Fork. Here we find a delightful place to cnmp, and halt for dinner. We find, also, that it is the site of the camp of Wood ii'id Hicks oti the i)i;dit before we mt.'t them We try fishing With j^oo'l su.'.fss, liiking (juitc 1 nuirii)er of white fish and trout,
it
21
then cross the stream to the south bank. We now leave this stream, and begin the ascent of the divide that separates it from the Madison, which is now called the Fire Hole River.
The road since leaving camp this morning has been good, and along its borders we find raspberries and strawberries growing in abundance.
At half past three o'clock, we greet, with a hearty cheer, the appearance of the first geyser. It is a jet of steam thrown into the air three hundred feet, and is, apparently, about three or four miles from us. Two miles below us is plainly seen the Fire Hole River, and in a short time we reach it. Following up the river a mile, we come to an open flat where it forks, and we turn up the east fork some two hundred yards, and reach our first geyser or hot spring. It lies upon the other side of the river from us and we cross over to examine it more critically.
We found that it was a mound, composed of sedimentary de- posit, about thirty feet in height, and the spring at its summit was about lour feet in diameter. The water from the spring, ran sparkling down the side, forming a beautiful little rivulet, and thence flowing to the river.
We pause for a time to note its many beauties, then re-cro^s the stream to the wagons. We were now about three hundred yards from the timber, and at a point that, afterwards was the scene of our capture by the Indians. But little did we think then, that subsequent events should indellibly impress upon us every feature of this, the place of our introduction into Wonder land.
We drive on up the east fork, about two hundred yards then cross, and are now surrounded by geysers and springs. The party scatter, each starting upon a tour of inspection without re- gard to the others. After a short ramble, I return to the buo^gy and drive on to the region of the Mud Pots, as they are called, which is but a few hundred yards in advance of where the partv abandoned the wagons.
Tying the horses to a tree, I started upon a tour of observa- tion. The "Mud Pots" or "vats," are just what the name indi- cates, a depression in the earth v/hich is filled with a thick, grav-
22
ish colored mud. The peculiarity of the pots or vats, is that the mud is in a constant state of elniUition, the ground about it giving forth a hollow, rumbling sound. They Vciry in diameter from four or five to ten feet, antl the region in which they are found, covers an area of three or four acres. I was surprised to see no steam issuing from them, a^ I supposed they were intensely hot, but on putting my hand into the mud, I was more surprised to, find that they were very cold. Sounding them. I found their depth to be from four to thn'ty feet,
I ascended a knoll near me, and on turnnig to the nortii, saw about a mde and a half distant, the Lower Geyser Basin. P^rom this point I had an excellent view of the whole basin. Its many geysers, constantly spouting forth their columns oi steam, gave it the appearance of a large maiiufacturing town.
Leaving the knoll and crossing to a ridge that lies on the right, I have an uninterrupted view of Fire Hole Basin. It is circular in form, and al^out a mile in diameter, with the Fire Hole River running tlirough the center. The basin is filled with hot springs and small geysers, there being about a thousand within it, boiling and spouting from five to tliirty feet.
From my position, I saw a number of uur party on the banks of the river not far distant, and I descended and found that they were examining a hot spring in the edgi:: of the river. It is thir- ty or forty feet in diameter, and the cold water of the river flows all about it. It is constantly pulsating,'every four or hve seconds, throwing a column of water ten to twenty feet in height, and at each pulsation it gives forth a puni])ing, rumbling sound. With no rcsj^ect to his vSatanic Majesty, ana with no disrespect to this beautdul freak of nature, we call it the Devil's Te.i Pot, l)ecause of its seeming apjiropriateness.
Immediately aliout this spring is a beautiful cascade about thice feet HI lieight, rumnng clear across the river. The water falls in an unl)roken sheet, })rescnting a beautiful a])pearance. It is about tlnrlv feet above the Devil's Tea Pot. J lere it waii, that the Earl of Uunravcii caught .1 fine trout, and without moving from
23
where he stood, turned and (hpped it into the spring and cooked it upon the hook.
We now turn towards the ridge we ha\'e just crossed, and as we near its base, we discover a hirge spring, thm-ty feet in diame- ter, flowing from beneath it. It is more than beautiful, all the tints of the rainbow being reflected from its surface, blue predom- inating. We ascend the ridge and havmg regained its sumit, we pause for a time to view again, the wonders b\- which we are surrounded. As we are about to depar-t, we hear a call from Oldham, and proceeding in the direction of the sound, find him gazing into a large circular l)asin, fort}' or fifty feet in diameter, that is filled with boiling hot chalk. It is called a "chalk vat." It has the appearance of a vat of chalk or mortar, and keeps boding away at a fearful rate. Leaving this vat, we go down a little ways, and find the Devil's Mud Pot, a vat filled with hot mud. It gives rise to the suggestion, that his Majesty has taken a con- tract to supjDly a wholesale establishment, with mud pies, and the way he flops and flirts it around gives credence to the belief that his reputation for close application to business is a merited one. I took a pole and pushed it into the mud in this vat about thirtv feet, and it was slowly sucked beneath the surface, when sudden- ly, with a loud thump, it was thrown entirely out upon the sur- face, while the mud flies and splashes in every direction, spoutin^- to the height of ten or fifteen feet. Discretion prompts us not to try the experiment again, and we returned .to camp.
Myers and Mann have preceded us, and have supper in course of preparation when we arrive, and soon after Cowan and Dm- gee, who have been exploring on horse-back, join us. Each be- ing anxious to recount his or her adventures and observations during the day,, we agree to dicide by ballot who should first be entitled to the floor. After an unsucessful ballot, in which all got one vote, we agree to give Dingee the first chance, since he says he knows more about Satan than any of us. Just as he be- gins his narration, a flock of geese pass over us and aliglit not far distant. This promises roast goose, and all are interested in its flight, but none more so than Dingee, Cowan and Myers take
M
their guns and folldw them, and Diiigee, listlessly resumes his narrative Avith his eyes scanning the heavens for another flock. He tells lis that he and Cowan had visited the Lower Geyser Ba- sin and — the cry of "grrub pile," is wafted on the breeze, and with a bound and a cry of "next," he forfeits his honors and position as story teller for the evening and starts for his rations. While at supper we hear the reports of our hunters' guns, and soon af- ter they return to camp, each having secured a large goose. Af- ter supper we indulge in our favorite evening diversion, and at ten o'clock all are asleep.
August i6. — At six o'clock, Dingee's dolorous yell awakes us to the indescribable beauties of our first morning in geyser land. The sun is shining brightly, and the air is perfectly calm. We desj^atch breakfast, and conclude to move our camp close up to the Spouting Geyser, and at eight o'clock we are on the move to the basin. We leave the east fork, and travel north-east a couple of miles and camp in a grove of pines about three hundred yards distant from Thud Geyser. This is a spouting geyser that throws a column of water about four feet in diameter, to a height of seventy-five or eighty feet, subsides, and again the immense col- umn of water is ejected. It gets its name from the noise it makes as it ejects the water, something like "ca-thud." Its temperature is 185 degrees. We picketed our horses, each cut a serviceable walking stick, and start to visit the geysers.
We walk about a half a mile, and ascend a little mound where we see Fountain Geyser. This is a huge basin of one hundred and twenty-five feet in diameter, and a crater within the rim, of twenty-Ji\c feet in diameter. There is an elegantly carved rim aroinid the outer crater three feet high, and during an eruption the representation of a beautiful fount,' is most natural. Just now It is pel leclly calm, and we again see the beautiful rainbow tints reflected from the surface. As the sun rises the tints change, and to the observer, it presents a beautiful appearance, indeed. We walk around it and view with unutterable pleasure, the re- flected images of white clouds that are passing over head, that
25
mingling, with the colors reflected from its surface, make it an object, upon the beauties of which, the eye never tires of resting.
As wie look upon its calm surface, lying so innocently spark- ling in the sun's rays, we cannot imagine that it will soon be spurting and charging as if a million dernons were at work in its depths. As we look, a white bubble emerges from the large, dark hole at the bottom, rises to the surface and breaks. Another soon follows, then others m quick succession, and as they keep coming faster and faster, the water becomes agitated and in the middle of the spring begins to boil. It grows hotter and hotter, and in a few minutes comes out with a rushing noise, and spouts forty or fifty feet in the air, throwing its columns in different di- rections at each spout. It is now boiling and splashing at a fear- ful rate and the mind of one involuntarily reverts to the story of Satan and his imps, pounding, thumping and pumping brimstone with infernal ingenuity. Our party becomes enthusiastic over the wild grandure of the scene, and as each geyser "shoots ofl" in the air, like a rocket, with a roaring and "whishing" sound, we salute it with a demoniacal yell. The whole country becomes ag- itated, the earth trembles and heaves, the air is rent with hideous groanings and rumblings, and it seems as if all nature was going to destruction with infernal rapidity. It is terrible.
The eruption lasts for about an hour, when it seems the de- mons of power have become exhausted with their terrible throes, and sunk to rest. The water subsides, the surface is again calm- er, and in a few minutes everything is perfectly still.
We now leave the Fountain Geyser, and ascend a mound that lies to the east a few hundred yards. From this we have an un- obstructed view of the whole basin. Just below us, we see steam issuing from a basin with a "thump-lump" sound and on descending to investigate, we find an enormous chalk vat. It is filled with a boiling hot substance, resembling chalk, and its ap- ance and smell of brimstone or magnesium, would naturally give rise to the remark of Arnold's, "It is where the devil mixes his mortar.*' Looking across the country to the other side of some 3
26
timber, we see la the distance, probably a mile away, a geyser throwing a cohnnn of water and steam from one to two hundred feet high, we start to see it and on pa.-<sing the timber, come out into another small basin in which we find many beautiful sulphur springs. They are of different colors, each having a tint pecu- liar to itself. In one, orange would predominate, in another sky blue, others would be dark red or green, and all wem perfectly transparent. We gather some beautiful specimens here, then pass on a little ways to Dome Geyser.
This geyser has at one time, been one of considerable power, as the overflow has formed a mound fifteen feet in diameter; fiom its summit rises a chimney about eighteen feet in height, from the top of which steam issues constantly. Mr. Mann wished to sketch it and Myers and myself climbed, to the top of it. From our position we could look down into its mouth, and could hear a rumbling sound in its depths. While we stood there the water, all of a sudden, and without any warning whatever, came spoutnig up above our heads. It may be presumed that we tumbled off in a hurry.
We continue on our course to the geyser we saw from the mound on the other side of the timber, and soon reach it. It is situ- ated in the lower portion of this groupe, and from the fantastic architectural handiwork of nature here displayed, it is called Arch- itectural Fountain Geyser. It has an elegantly scalloped circular ba- sin about thirty feet in diameter at the base and twenty feet at the top or mouth, with vertical sides extending to an unknown depth. VVlicn we visited it, the water was calm, but was flowing over Its rim, and thence to terraced pools, sparkling in the bright sun- hght as it passed from one to the other and .finally forming two little rivulets, on either side of the mcund, and flowing away to the river.
\Vc waited near this geyser most of the afternoon, expecting, to see an eru}:)tion but were disappointed. Hie ladies. Cowan and Dingee, had returned to camp but the_ remainder of us lin^ gcred near it, carving our names on the side of the basin and searching for specimens. On the sides of the little basins sur-
27
rounding the geyser, we found hundreds of names written with lead pencils. Some d-ited as far back as ^66 and '67, and yet the names were as perfect as when v/ritten. Seeing a stone lying in the bottom of one of the basins. I bared my arm and took it out and found on one side of it the name "Miss Ella Aylesworth," written in lead pencil. I thought to rub the name off easily, but on trying to do so, found that it wae mdellible, and it was possi- ble to remove it only with the blade of a knife.
As we were wandering around, each by himself, we heard a yell from Myers that was, seemingly, prompted by the acutest pain. Looking in the direction whence the agonizing cry came, we beheld Myers hopping towards us with one foot firmly •clasped in his hands, and swearing terribly. Having reached us he began rolling and tumbling upon the ground, moaning, groaning and swearing as he writhed in contortions *As he struck a sitting posture we found he held his shoe in his hand. He pulled up his pants and began rolling down his stocking, and as he did so, the skm and flesh from the leg adhered to it. We then saw that he had stepped into a hot spring and that his lunl) was literally cooked. As the air struck the naked nerves, the pain rnust have been intense and again he writhed in agony. He grew calmer after a little, and ceased his rolling and swearing, when Arnold innocently asked '•' Was the spring hot ?" There was an awful significance in the answer, "Yes, y^u!"
Finding it impossible for him to return to camp in this condi- tion, I told him that I would return to camp and send Dmgee with a horse to meet him. I returned to camp, leaving Arnold with him, and dispv.tched Dingee with a horse and in about an hour they returned. Mann bandaged the leg as best he could and having made him as comfortable as we could, under the cir- cumstances, we disposed of a hearty supper and, after the usual comparison of notes made during the day, retired.
August i7.- — The usual dismal yawn of Dingee's awakes us at break ot day, and just as we arise we hear Thud Geyser fire its morning salute. Duiing breakfcist we determined to go to the
28
Upper Geyser Basin, distant about ten miles, and shortly after- wards all are bus}" packing up. When about ready to leave, we are surprised by the appearance of three men and a boy who ride mto camp. They prove to be Mr. Houston and party from Bear Gulch. He gives us the particulars of the Big Hole fight, the first that we had heard of it. He said that he did not appre- hend any trouble from Indians, and as he and party are also en route for the Upper Basin, we determine to travel in company. We were glad of the acquisition to our party, as Mr. Houston is thoroughly conversant with every part of Geyserland, as he had visited it yearly for a number of years.
We soon reach the Fire Hole River which here flows from the east, and we follow up its course by a good trail two miles or more till we reach Devil's Half Acre, which lies cm the other side of tke riverfrom us. Arnold and myself wade the stream and the par- ty continue on up the river. We ascend an eminence two hun- dred feet high, perhaps, when a terrible rumbling sound tells us that we have reached the Devil's Half Acre and the Mammoth Hot Spring.
The DeviFs Half Acre is thirty or forty feet square with walls of rock twenty or thirty feet high, surrounding it. It is horrible to stand on top of those walls and look down mto the boiling, seething waters below, and one shudders and draws away at the first glimpse of the terrible commotion. It is certainly appropri- ately named.
Leaving this we visit the Mammoth Hot Spring, about one hundred and fifty yards away, and above. This we find as beau- tiful *as the other is hideous. It is a basin shaped like an in- verted saucer and three hundred feet in diameter at the top, and is the largest hot spring in the world. Its elevation is about fifty feet and the water is constantly flowing over the summit at all points, ffdling into little basins as it descends. Words are inade- quate to convey the faintest idea of the beauties of this spring. The one just visited may justly be regarded as combining the hor- rois of a hell; in this is blended the beauties of a heaven. Look- ing into its depths we see the diflferent rainbow tints, commencing
29
with orange next the walls and ending in the center with dark blue. As the waters flow over the sides of the basin, the colors are yet more distinct and the line of separation is more distinctly disernable. First we notice the orange color which flows over a space of about ten feet, then passing around the basin we come to a space in which the waters arc green, then follows red then blue and so on, each of the tints of the rainbow coming in regu- lar succession. One never tires of its beauties. The diflferent colors are not attributed to the position in which the rays of the sun strike the water, but rather to the minerals which the water contains, hence the colors are never changing.
We are loth to leave this most beautiful of the springs, but the advance of the party hastens our departure and we again passed up the river, seeing many springs as we go, to a point about two miles from where we crossed, and recross to the trail. Here we find Dingee and Oldham waiting for us with horses, and mounting, we soon overtake the party. We follow the left bank of the river for three miles and then the trail follows the base of the mountains by a zig-zag route for a distance of two miles when we again strike the river and after following up its course a mile we again leave it to our right and ascend the mountains on our left for a mile and a half when we come out on to the Up- per Basin and the river again which \ye follow up two miles and cross the river, proceed up the stream a short distance and go into camp in a cluster of pmes near Castle Geyser. This is a most desirable camping ground for a small party, as there is plenty of wood, shelter from the sun and rain, and hot and cold water within fifteen paces. Back of this camp about half a mile distant, there is an excellent pasturage for horses, consisting of a heavily grassed meadow of about two miles in circumference, in the mid- dle of which is a large cold water spring.
We are now in Wonderland, and as we look around us and see the numerous geysers in full state of eruption, with others in quick succession throwing forth their vast columns of water, we realize that the Lower Basin is insignificant in comparison to this,
30
As we pitch our tents Mr. Houston points out the principal points of interest and as he is telHng us of Old Faithful, a rumb- ling noise is heard, and he exclaims "OlTshe goes!'' and a col- umn of water one hundred and fifty feet high, is suddenly thrown into the air. We, with a shout, drop everything and make haste to see it, but on being told that an eruption will not take place again for sixty-five muiutes we return to carnp and prepare din- ner. Alter dinner we, on consulting our watches, find that we have but ten minutes to walk the. half mile that lies between us and Old Faithful and we make haste, as it is known that the en- tertainment is given at the exact moment advertised, with no postponement in deference to any thing.
\Vc find a mound thirty or forty feet high, with little basins all around it which catch the water as it falls during an eruption. We pause, and hear beneath us a rumbling, rushing sound, and the water rises six or seven feet in the air and subsides a moment. Again it rises, still higher, and again subsides, each time seem- ingly gaining power until, with a roaring, rushing sound it sends a column of water five or six feet in diameter to a height of one hundred feet. The eruption continues for the space of fif- teen or twenty minutes, being accompanied throughout, with its horrible groaning, then the water falls back into the little basins, and all is quiet agahr for the time.
We now visit in turn, the Giantess, that throws a column two hundred and sixty feet, the Bee Hive, with a spout of two hunched and nineteen feet by actual measurement, and two other smaller geysers called, rebjjectively the Lion and Lioness, and then return to camp. Gathered about the camp fire during the evening, Houston gives us an elaborate discription of the won- ders of thi^ region, the half of which we have not seen, and re- lates many remarkable incidents that have taken place within its limits.
The party being tired they, with the exception' of Arnold, Houston and myself, retire at nine o'clock, but we cross the river to see the eruption of the Grand Geyser by moonlight. We
8!
wait patiently until twelve o'clock but are disappointed and re- turn to camp and "turn in."
About 3 A. M. we hear a yell, " Off she goes," and we jump to our feet at the warning sound of old Castle Geyser, which is about to belch forth his pent up wrath. We hear the premoni- tor)' rumbling and groaning, the earth jars and trembles with the mighty force below it; the noise becomes more distinct, and the throes of the earth more violent; in a moment a tremendous noise and roar like thunder follows, the earth gives a quick spas- modic quiver of agony, and a column of water tw^enty feet in di- ameter is thrown into the air one hundred feet high. For ten minutes it holds it in that position, when, having exhausted its fur}', it drops back to the surface. With the same hollow, rumb- ling sound, a column of steam follows, shooting suddenly to a height of two hundred feet, and then gradually ascending to a distance of three hundred or four hundred feet, and rolling away with the upper air currents.
The moon is at the full, and as we are standing in the shadow of the jet of steam, we have one of the most strikingly beautiful views that ever the eye of man beheld. It seems like a solid col- umn of silver. The steam soon passes away and soon again still- ness reigns. We retire again, but not to sleep, and as we medi- tate upon the wonders of this more than wonderful region, we cannot but be reminded of the w^ords of the psalmist, " What is man, that thou art mindful of him ? "
August i8. — A 3"ell, not unlike an Indian war whoop, from Dingee, routes us out at 7 o'clock, and we are soon ready to do ample justice to our geyser coffee, potatoes boiled in the hot springs, and bacon, Dingee remarks that he has a " soft thing " of it now in the cuhnary department, as he does the cooking and dish-washing without fire.
We pass the day in wandering from point to point, inspecting the many wonders that are constantly found, each investigating for himself, and all intent on collecting specimens of rocks, min- erals, vegetable growth, etc., and return to camp about 4 p. m.
M
Up to this time we have had the pleasantest weather imagina- ble, which is certainly surprising, since, owing to the moist cli- mate and immense clouds of steam constantly arising, it can rain with as little preparation as any place in the world. As we came to camp, it had the appearance of rain, and, although the sun was shining brightly then, m ten minutes time it was pouring torrents. The pines, however, afford us an excellent protection, and after the rain ceases we dispose of supper, and carry the dishes to a spring for washing, which is done by throwing them into the water and poking them about with a stick for a few minutes, and remove them perfectly cleansed.
We had been expecting to witness an eruption of Grand Gey- ser, but, as yet, had been disappointed. After supper, while lying beneath a tree in camp, I saw, in the direction of this geyser, a column of water suddenly spout up some 30 feet high and then subside. With the shout, " There goes the Grand Geyser," we start pell-mell to see it. We cross the river on a run, and pro- ceed some five hundred yards towards the mountain ere it is reached.
This is Hayden's favorite geyser, and, as regards beauty and nice fountain work, it is far superior to anything in Geyser Land. Houston says that it has changed in the last few years, and does better work now than it ever did before. As we approach it "goes off" again, spouting forty or fifty feet high, then subsid- ing. Again it spouts, and again subsides. Again and again it throws up its immense column that is five or six feet in diameter, and in the space of thirty minutes it has made nine eruptions, each coming with greater power and spouting higher than that which preceded it, until finally, with a mighty roar, it throws its column of water one hundred and twenty-five feet high. It holds it in tliat position for five or eight minutes, then drops back again to its basin. This geyser differs from the others in the manner of its eruption, and in the fact of its having so many eruptions in such a short space of time lies its beauty and popularity.
As the water recedes, wc step to view the crater, and see noth- ing but a large hole in the earth with sides sloping to the center.
93
Mr. Cowan and Oldham step down into it and commence carv- ing their names, when suddenly, without warning, the water rises beneath them. It may be imagined that they did not stop to finish their carving. The water fills the basin and then be- comes calm.
We return to camp and witness an eruption of Steam Geyser, but as this is constantly at work, and not far distant, it soon loses its novelt}'. It is continually giving off its thumping, pumping sound, and we soon wish that it would take a rest, or give us one. Night and day we hear that same monotonous thumping.
In camp we prevail upon Mr. Houston to relate some of his experience in the Rock}' Mountains, which are full of interest and romance. We retire to lay awake listening to the unearthly sounds that we hear all around us rather than to rest.
August 19. — This is Sunday, the day of rest, but nature here does not heed it and keeps up her gratuitous exhibitions without intermission. We soon tire of lying around camp and again sal- ly lorth on a tour of discovery. We return shortly and conclude that we will do our washing since such an opportunity for "boil- ing clothes" will not be presented again soon. Emma and Ida put their clothes in a pillow case, Dingee took off his blouse and tied a large stone in it and I finished tying it with my handker- chief; Arnold also removed his jacket and we repaired to the laundry, Old Faithful. We hear the preparatory rumbling and the waters rise a few feet above the surface. Mr. Houston now gives the command to cast them into the water. It goes down and remains so long that we begin to feel uneasy, and Dingee begins to lament his loss and to bless the man who ''put the job up" on us. Mr. Houston remarks that it will be all right, and the next instant, with a rush and a roar she "goes ofT" and the clothes, jacket, rags, &c., mixed in every conceivable shape, shoot up to a distance ot a hundred feet or more and fall with a splash in the basins below. The water subsides, and we fish out the clothing which we find as nice and clean as a Chinaman could wash it with a week's scrubbing. Dingee rejoiceth. 4
S4
Wishing to experiment, we collect an immense quantity of rub- bish and chop it into the crater. We have filled it to the top with at least a thousand pounds of stones, trees, stumps, &c., and now sit down to await further developments. At the exact time advertised, sixty-five minutes from the time of the last eruption, the earth begins to tremble, we hear the rush again, "off she goes," and away go rocks, trees and rubbish to a height of seven- ty-five or eighty feet in the air. Old Faithful seems to have been angered by such an unwarrantable proceed ure on our parts, or wishes to show us how frutile are our attempts to check his power and furnishes an entertainment of unusual magnitude and duration.
We find many curious specimens of petrifaction here, and it seems that any article frequently immersed in these waters soon becomes petrified. Ida finds a petrified handkerchief that is per- fectly white, and every thread of which is distinctly visible. Mann finds two more imbedded in the rocks, and cuts them out. Mr. Cowan finds a petrified mouse, and Mr. Oldham finds a nice specimen of writing paper and part of an envelope, and a rab- bit's ear, and others find many very remarkable curiosities.
We next visit the Giantess, which is said to be the finest geyser in the basin. It has a crater twenty by twenty-five feet, and throws a column of water two hundred and sixty feet in height. We did not witness an eruption of this geyser; we could see a great hole in the earth, some seventy-hve or eighty feet deep, filled to tlic brim with clear hot water, atthe bottom of which we could see a dark cavern from which *the water rushes during an eruption, which latter usually lasts from six to twelve hours. An eruption from this one geyser is well worth weeks of waiting to witness.
We visit the Bee Hive Geyser and witness an eruption, and the party now separates. Dingee, one of Houston's party, named Sterling Henderson, and myself, start for a place upon the moun- tain back of tlie (Jianlcss, whence we see steam issuing above the tree-tops. We Msccnd the mountain some one thousand feet above the level of the basin, and i\nd a large hot spring about
35
seventy- five feet in diameter, the waters oi which are boiling away at a fearful rate.
There is no evidence that this spring spouts, but it is constantly overflowing, and the water, as it runs down the mountain side, kills everything with which it comes in contact. There is a sed- imentary deposit, that it has made from time to time, in its differ- ent paths, that is about three hundred yards wide and iive or six hundred yards long. The water does not cover this area, but is confined to a narrow channel five or six feet wide, which it fills to the depth of two or three inches. The channel must be con- stantly shifting, the water seeking a new outlet as each channel is filled. The sides and bottom of this little stream are of varied colors, owing to the presence of mineral substances, and are very beautiful.
We sit down to gaze for a time on its wondrous beauties, but are aroused by a prolonged shout in the distance. Dingee ex- claims: " There goes Giant Geyser !" and a look in the direc- tion indicated verifies the statement. It is two miles distant, but we bound awa}^ on the run. We soon reach it, and find the old fellow tearing away at a fearful rate. The rest of the party have beaten us there, and we find them sitting beneath the trees watch- ing the fearful convulsions of this more than grand geyser. Words are inadequete to give but a tithe of its iirandeur. It is indescribably awful. The eruption continued about two hours.
We next visited Grotto Geyser, situated on a mound of pure white sihca, and encircled by a cluster of hot springs. Its unique formation must be seen to be appreciated.
After supper we again visit Old Faithful and witness another eruption, then return to camp ; see Grand Geyser in full play, and tu*ed of the repetitions of the wonders of t'^e day, we soon are sound asleep, totally obvious to the terrors by which we were surrounded or the surprises held in store for us.
August 3o. — At nine o'clock Houston informed us that he and party were going back by the way of Yellowstone Lake and Falls and wishes to know if any of our party wants to ac-
36
company him. Arnold, Dingee and myself conclude to visit the lake, distant forty-five miles, and then return to the Lower Gey- ser Basin and rejoin the party, which would remain there for us. We are soon in the saddle and at ten o'clock bid the party good bye and are off. Just as we leave camp old Castle Geyser fires a farewell salute, and as we pass the Grotto, Riverside and others we see them doing excellent work, worthy an aspirant to politi- cal honors.
As we reach the point where the Mammoth spring lies imme- diately opposite us, we cross the river and take a last view of this remarkable body of water. We linger for a time loth to leave, then resume our way down the river, which we recross, and at one P. M. are at our camp in the Lower Basin.
Here we ti nd Mr. Cowan's dog Dido, which we had left on shiftinir our camp to the Upper Basin. For a time she disputed our entrance into camp, but on recognizing Cowan's horse which I was riding, she concluded that matters were all right and per- mitted us to enter. The faithful brute was almost starved as we had left nothing for her to eat and she had been without food since Friday.
We prepare dinner and Dingee lays in provisions for a four days' trip. At 2 130, we are again on the road, taking the dog Avith us.
We leave the Lower Basin by the Bozeman route, and travel up the east fork of the Fire Hole River, seeing numerous extinct geysers and sulphur springs on either side of the trail. We fol- low the course of the stream for a distance of ten miles, when we reach tlie foot of the mountains separating the valley of the east fork of Fire Hole River from that of the Yellowstone.
As we begin the ascent of the mountains, an old man suddenly steps from the bushes into tlie trail before us. He was the most wretched looking specimen of humanity I had ever seen. Mr. Houston grasped his gun, and the stranger saluted us in a iVietidly way and drew near. He told us that his name was John Shrivelcy, direct from the JJl^ick Hills. He giiVc us a moun- taineer'* account of hia travels ^ind concJudod by asking Mr.
Houston if we had any spare provisions. Houston's party did not have any, but Arnold told him that our camp was at Tower Ba- sin, where he would find an abundance of "grub" and that he could help himself. He did not tarry long, and receiving direc- tions from us as to the right trail, passed on.
We continued the ascent of the mountains. We cross them soon and complete the descent by night fall and camp on a little creek, called Warm Spring Creek. We picket the horses, dis- pose of supper, and after the usual talk till eleven o'clock, turn in, satisfied with the day's travel of thirty-five miles.
August 21. — We arise to an early breakfast and bestir our- selves for the day's journey. While we are making preparations, Arnold takes his hook and tries to fish for trout in the stream upon which we are encamped. He succeeds in taking but a half dozen small ones. They are smaller than the common mount- ain trout and have small red spots upon their sides. ]Mr. Hous- ton says that this is the only place in the mountains where this species of fisf? is caught. They cannot get down this stream as there are boiling hot springs in this stream, one half mile below, and neither can any others get to them. We found that they w«re of excellent flavor.
Soon after breakfast we again take to the saddle and strike out on a swinging gallop for the Yellowstone Lake, ten miles distant. Three or four miles from camp we suddenly come upon a party from Bozeman. It proves to be Storey and Riche's party, con- sisting of five men with guide, and four pack animals. We learn that they are en route for the geysers, where we tell them thev will find our party, and with the usual mountain salutation "so long," we pass on. Three miles brings us to the summit of a rise from which we have our first view of the Yellowstone River. We can see it winding to tlip north for five or six miles and from our position it looks like a river of silver. Its nearest jwint is but a quarter of a mile below us, and we are soon upon its banks. To the left of us we see a mud geyser, and it being not far distant, we visit it for the purpose of investigation.
38
We find that the basin is circular in form, and about sixty feet in diameter. It is filled with boiling hot mud and in an eruption goes through the same j^rocess as a water geyser but frequently with more astonishmg effects upon the beholder, as the mud flies in every direction, and should a particle touch the skin the sensa- tion is the same as produced by dropping burnnig sealing-wax upon it.
We pass around this geyser to the left and Mr. Houston points out the location of the Devil's Well, which we set out to visit.
It is upon the side of the mountain, one hundred and fifty feet above the trail, and an examination reveals an enormous hole ni the ground about twenty feet in diameter and forty feet deep, with perpendicular walls. Steam is constantly issuing from its mouth, but as it is blown aside for an instant, we see the boiling, seething waters at the bottom. They are surging and rushing at a fearful rate, and reminds one of the splashing waters of the '- tail-race " of a mill. The steam arises in pulfs, like that from an engine, and we hear, in the .depths, horrible clinking and clanking, as if the devil was busily employed in i|>anuf:icturing chains. The well is certainly correctly named.
Just below us we visit and inspect with no little curiosity a number of Arsenic Springs. Everything about them is covered with a slimy green substance, that gives it a very disagreeable appearance. We did not loiter here, as the steam arising from the waters is sickening, and very poisonous. We remount, re- turn to the river bank, and take the trail leading to the lake, dis- tant six miles south, up the river.
As we are push'ng ahead at a brisk canter, we suddenly meet a mountaineer, who is driving a number of loose horses. We stop, and Houston advances and makes inquiry as to who he is and where bound. The man gives a satisfactory account of him- self and passes on. Shortly afterward another man emerges from tlie bushes ahead. He is a tall, powerfully ])uilt man, and as he rode carelessly along, with his long riile crossed in front ot him, he was a j)icture. He was dressed in a complete suit of l)uck- skin, and wore a flaming red neckerchief, a broad sojnbrcro^ fas-
39
tened up on one side with a large eagle feather, and a pair of beautifully beaded moccasins. The costume of the man, his self- confident pose, and the quick penetrating glance of his keen black eye, would give the impression that he was no ordinary mountaineer. We meet; Houston recognizes him, it is the world renowned Rocky Mountain hunter and scout, Texas Jack. While Houston was in conversation with him, our party sat si- lently staring at him. This is our first sight of the man, wkom, above all others, we were anxious to see, and we were in a meas- ure excusable for our seeming impertinence. He inquired for "spare grub;'' we had none to give him or sell, but told him that Storey and Riche's party were but a little ways ahead of him, and he could be provided for by them. He bade us good- day and pushed ahead.
We ag-ain struck a canter, and half a mile further on encount- ered two more men, both of whom were dressed in buck-skins and wore large sombrerocs. They told us that they were Eng- lishinen, traveling through the United States for pleasure and ad- venture, and that they, with Texas Jack as guide, had come through the mountains from Cheyenne to Yellowstone Lake tor the purpose of fishing and hunting. They were now en route for the geysers, and on telling them that they would meet our party there, who would supply them with provisions, continued on their road.
We now left the river, which turns abruptly to the left, and began the ascent of the mountains. Two and a half miles further on we reach the summit, and pause to feast our eyes on as pretty a scene as mortal ever beheld, A thousand feet below us, stretch- ing away to the south thirty miles, lie the placid waters of Yel- lowstone Lake. It is so calm that it looks like a huge mirror surrounded by verdure-covered mountains, that tower thousands of feet above it. Words cannot tell of the loveliness of the scene. Mr. Houston says that although he has visited it every year for ten years, he never fails to stop where we now are and drink in the beautiful view. We linger for some time, and note the many points of beauty, and watch the hundreds of water-fowl floatmg
40
upon its surface, then, at the call of our guide, we begin the de- scent. About two hundred feet above the level of the lake, we find a nice camping place in a grove of small pines, where there is wood and cold spring water in abundance.
Supper is soon ready and the familiar cry of "grub pile" was never sweeter, and it may be remarked with all truthfulness, that it was the only thing sweet about the supper. Dingee, with his morbid dread of "loosing that twenty pounds," is usually the first to respond, and this occasion was not an exception. He drops on the grass, lunges for' the bread, takes a bite, spits it out, and throws his whole soul into one prolonged sulphureous oath. We are astonished, and, through the force of habit acquired in the basins, draw back in expectation of an eruption by Dingee. Just as each has his mouth in proper position for exclaiming "there she goes," which we could each see formed upon the lips of the others, Dingee's breath gives out and he is of necessity, compelled to stop swearing. Arnold plays a good second as he takes a bite, and I investigate a mouthful. It is two thirds salt. Dingee indignantly asks if I had put all the salt into the flour sack, and I plead guilty to one cup only. I explained further that I had put in four cups of sugar to sweeten it, and light begins to dawn when I learn that the sugar was taken from another salt sack. Arnold materially assists our investigations by saying that he had put in two more cups of sugar from that same sack, jcnak- ing in all, six pints of salt to eighteen pounds of flour. The pres- ence of the milk in the coacoanut is thus fully acounted for.
It is, perhaps, unnecessary to state that no one cares for bread at dinner, and immediately after, we make arrangements with Houston for exchanging salt for flour, with fair results.
Tiic whole 2^arty arc soon collected on the beach below camp, and start f )r a stroll. Arnold, who, it has probably been noted, is the Izaak Walton of the party, goes fishing, and the remain- der of us gather specimens of the stones and petrified wood, Dingee and myself collect an immense quantity of rubbish, but had we known that it would all goto enrich Chief Joseph's cab- inet, we certainly would not have lugged them so far. That statement may be relied upon as fact.
41
We follow the beach, which is about thirty yards wide and passes clear around the lake, to a point about three miles from where we struck it. We find an old log house, and near it a sail- boat turned bottom upwards. The owner of both had gone to the Black Hills and left everything. We found tools with which to repair the boat, but concluded that it would be of no avail, as we were expecting to remain but a little while. While we were inspecting the premise?, one of the party had found, in a slough near by, a row boat which we carried to the lake and launched. Three of us manned it, and pulled out for deep water.
We had our fishing tackle along, and it was no little amuse- ment to catch the large salmon trout, with which the lake abounds. Our bait was grasshoppers, and as it touched the water a salmon would bound out of the water, seize it, and the way he would go until brought up by the end of the line. Then follow the trolling to get it into the boat. It is exquisite sport. We caught many that were eighteen or twenty inches long, and would weigh nine or ten pounds.
Houston points out the many points of interest, and gives a graphic description of the noteworthy objects that surround us.
At the south end of the lake we see Mount Evarts, the place where Evarts became separated from his party and got lost. It is said that he wandered for thirty days with little or no food, and was finally picked up on the other side of the lake. Look- ing to the east we see in the distance, probably forty or fifty miles away, the Old Man of the Mountain. It is a mountain in the shape of a human face, turned towards the sky. It is as perfect as if chiseled.
The profile of this wonderful image as seen against the horizon, is formed by the configuration of a chain of mountains, and being assured that we could see more of the outline from the mountains back of the log house, turn and are soon at the point indicated. Looking east we can see the whole outline of the form, ?ind it is truly a remarkable image. The body, face and limbs, wit'a knees slightly bent, and . feet, are very distinctly portrayed. It is well worth going to see and no tourist that visits this lake should go
5
42
away without beholding" it. Where we stand is the best point for observation.
We return to our camp and Houston points out Steamboat Spring, which stands on the north-east shore of the lake about twelve miles distant. It is so called from the noise it makes du- ring an eruption, which is not unlike the whistle of a steamboat. We heard it the following- morning and it sounded to me like a bugle call in the distance. We would liked very much to have visited it, but having no means of transportation across the lake other than a small, leaky boat, and it not being easily accessible by land, we were compelled to forego the pleasure.
On this side of the spring is a place called Specimen Beach, where there are found many curious petrifactions, such as fish, shells, wood, etc., but we cannot visit them.
Shortly after we return to camp, or at about five o'clock, a lipple is seen upon the lake and the wind springs up from the south-east. Houston remarks that we would soon witness a scene that would be grand in the extreme. The wind continues to rise and in a little time the whole lake is lashed into the wildest fury. We go down to the beach and spend some time in watch- ing the "white caps,'' rolling towards us. The pelicans, swans and gulls come sailing towards us on the crest of the waves, and come within thirty or forty yards of the shore, then rising from the crest of a wave, sail away with a shrill cry that, mingling with the roar of the wind and waves, makes one's blood curdle.
As we stood here watching the commingling of the raging elements, we silently returned thanks that an all-wise Providence had prevented our launching the frail sail-boat, as it now would ha\e been bottom upwards in the waters of the lake, with us bene ith it, if Dingee had insisted on another exhibition of his seaman-like (jualities.
vSoon we hear the soft voice of Dingee sweetly warbling above tlic howling ot the storm, "grub pile" and we return to camp. We iiad neglec ted to picket our horses, and after supper start in search of them. We searched until ten o'clock without fintling them and returned to camp convinced that they had been stam-
43
peded, or stolen. We had nothing but a pack mule letl us, and he, poor fellow, was anxious to go also, and all night long kept up his tramp, tramp at the end of his lariat and would frequent- ly give vejit to his longings by a prolonged bray.
Reaching camp Dingee sat down and began to dismally be- wail his hard luck. We tried to console him with the assurance that he would now have an opportunity to walk off that super- fluous amount of flesh and thus fulfill his prophecy of losing twenty pounds, but he refused to be coiiforted. We sadly turn in, and all is quiet for a time, when a voice breaks the stillness with "A Starry Night for a Ramble," while Dingee growls and the mule brays.
August 22. — At daylight the party were up and went in search of the horses. I remain in camp and relieve Dingee in the cuisine. In the course of time I have a frugal repast prepared and spread upon the ground. I gave the prolonged howl that usually brings us to meals, and as the call penetrates the valleys and is reverberated from hill to hill, an indistinct answer is heard afar ofFdown the lake shore. Again I call, and again comes the answer, "nearer, clearer than before." It is Dingee, who, with the rest of the party some distance in the rear, soon come hastily into camp, but without the horses. The whole party were sullen, and we sit down to our meal in no enviablje frame of mind. A prospective tramp of thirty-five miles, over the rugged mountain is not cheering. The name of the Creator was pronounced, but not in grace, as they contemplated the scanty fare. "A short horse is soon curried'* may in a measure be given as one reason for the hastily despatched meal, but I attributed it to the fact of the entire absence of horse.
We silently consider for a time, the undesirable state of affairs then consult together. We have an alternative. It is either to walk or take the little boat and go down the Yellowstone to the point at which we struck it as we came. Neither suits Houston and he proposes another hunt for the horses. We separate and scour the woods in every direction, but with no better result than before.
44
Returning to camp I proposed to Houston that we turn the mule loose, believing that it could find the horses, if it had but one eye. Houston acting upon the idea, jumped upon its back and gave it the lariat. It immediately struck for the timber, and took a bee line for two and a half miles and walked in among the horses. In the course of half an hour Houston returns and we give a yell that shakes the hills and causes the dry boughs in the forest to fall in a copious shower. Dingee cries with joy and it is with the utmost difiiculty that we restrain him from embracing the mule. I allay his exuberance of spirits by promising him my share of diimer.
We are soon ready for our departure and take a lingering look at the lake. The storm has ceased, and it now lies as calm as if nothing had ever caused a ripple upon its surface. The most vivid imagination would fail to portray its beauties.
We turn mountainward and retrace the course that we came. At the summit we stop and take the last long gaze at the Yellow- stone Lake, the finest scene in the Rocky Mountains. We start our horses on a canter and are soon at the Mud Spring and Dev- il's Well .again. These we pass without stopping, and push onward towards the Yellowstone Falls.
Five miles further down the riv^r^ we come to Sulphur Mount- ain, which we stop for a time to examine. It is about one thous- and feet high, and fully four miles in circumference at the base, and receives its name from the amount of sulphur found in the minerals of which it is principally composed. The summit is cojnposed of soil, upon which a few stunted pine trees grow, but the base and sides are composed of almost pure sulphur, the per- centage being about eighty. We find the sulphur in the form of crystals, resembling honey-comb more than anything else, and are very pretty. It is hot, and I am convinced (not by any ex- jieriinenls made in person, however,) that it will cure any case of ^even-year itch known, even if it has attained its majority: that i^ of three terms '-landing. On the west side of the base of the mountain, there is a hot boiling spring aL:)out twenty-five feet long by ten feet wide. It was quiet, and the surface had a phos-
45
phorescent appearance, which suggested the remark that if the devil should dip one of his victims m its w^aters and set him on fire, he certainly would burn forever.
Close to this is another sulphur spring that is pumping and threshing away industriously. The smoke and steam arising from this emits a fearful stench, and we do not care to get too close. Here we gather some nice crystals and remount. Hous- ton remarks that Satan owns this country, and advises us to make peace with his Majesty; at least temporarily. Our observation here convinces us that if Moody and Sankey could bring this mountain, with its springs, and their congregations in juxtaposi- tion, their labor would be greatly decreased and their converts millions.
As we leave the mountain we, at a little distance from it, cross Alum Creek, a small stream flowing from the west. Houston says that near its head there is a spring, the waters of which are strongly impregnated with alum. He says a mouthful of the creek water will pucker one's mouth so that it will be impossible for him ever to attain the accomplishments of a third-class whist- ler. We were perfectly willing to take his word for it, and did not experiment.
Five miles beyond this we approach the Yellowstone Falls, the roaring of which we hear before we get near them. The noise grows louder as we advance, and shortly we strike the river at the first rapids, about two hundred feet above the Upper Fall. Here we find that the trail divides, one turning to the left, which is the Bozeman trail, and the other following the river. Taking the right hand trail, we cross a creek, then ascend a steep mountain about five hundred yards, and camp beneath the wide spreading branches of a large spruce pine. It is now three o'clock, and we unsaddle, and proceed to get dinner. Dingee discovers a notice posted on the tree, which he reads for our benefit. It reads as follows;
Tourists are requested not to break ^ destroy or take away any specimens^ tender a penalty of Jifty dollars jine^ or one year in the penitentiary. By order of the Superi?itcndent of the Na-
46
tio7ial Park. We tell Dingee to make a memorandum of it, and he quietly observes that I can make up my mind for a year's sojourn in the penitentiary. We sit down to grub, but you can rest assured that our horses are securely picketed first.
Dinner over w^e start to view the falls. We ascend the mount- ain a little farther, then turn to the right some two hundred yards, and get our first glimpse of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone. We are now fully three thousand feet above the falls, and from our position the scenery is indescribably grand. The river wind- ing through the canyon below us looks like a shining thread of silver, as it glistens in the sun. It seems that one could step across it, and we can hardly credit the statement of Houston when he informs us that it is over one hundred feet wide. At this point we have the finest view of the canyon that it is possible to obtain, and to me, there is no better point from which to view the falls. We are standing above, and are looking distinctly down upon them. The water above is dashed into a turbulent, foamy cascade, by its ragged bed and lightning speed, but just at the ed^e of the fall it becomes smooth, as if pausing in awe at the dizying height from which it must spring, then leaps perpendic- ularly three hundred and ninety feet to its narrow bed below. Down the river, as far as the eye can reach, there rises, to the height of two thousand feet above the river, a grand, vast wall, so gorgeously colored and tmted that no painting or description can ever do it justice. Such is the force of the descent that the water, ere it reaches the rocky bed below, is dissolved into s[)ray, and a cloud of it hangs constantly beneath the precipice. As the evening sun strikes this we see a perfectly formed rainbow. It is gorgeously beautiful.
We sit here for at least an hour, and when we rise to return to camp Houston tells us that he and party are going to C ark's Fork. We go back to camp, and bid them good bye, and at five o'clock they are off.
Arnold, Dingee and myself, now start for the Upper Falls, alxHit a half nnle, or perhaj^s less, above us. These falls will not bear comparison with the Lower Falls, but they are, neverthe-
a
less, strikingly beautiful. The water above flows calmly till with- in a few hundred feet of the falls, when it suddenly breaks, is lashed in a fury, and rushes headlong, as if bent upon destruc- tion, and leaps outward over the precipice. It falls one hundred and eighty feet. Dingee proposes that we descend to the foot of the fall, and by dint of hard work, clinging to the jagged rocks and crevices, with fingers and toes, we make the descent. Here we have a finer view than from above, and the setting sun greatly exhances the beauty of the scene.
As we sit watching the water as it strikes in the bed, we see many large trout vainly endeavoring to ascend the cataract. They will spring six or eight feet up the sheet of water and drop back, then try it again with the same result. They seemingly never learn by their failures nor tire of their futile eflforts. We sat and watched them some time, when I asked Dingee if he thought they would get up. He said they might il we would but give them time. I proposed that we shut off the water and help them up, but he said he thought we had better not as it might detain us — beyond supper time.
Night was drawing near and we thought to return, but discov- ered that scaling the precipice was another thing to going down it. We descended with the utmost difficulty, although it could have been more easily accomplished by falling, if not as satisfac- tory. But although we understand how the vigilanters used to instruct persons in falling up, we were loth to assist each other in that way.
We turn down the canyon to a point about three hundred yards below where we come to the little creek that we crossed' just before going into camp. Here, after an immense amount of climbing and clinging, scratching and swearing, we succeed in reaching the creek whence we ascended to the brink of the can- yon. We returned to the Lower Falls and concluded to descend into the canyon from the height above. It was with no little difficulty thafl we accomplished the feat, and we were well repaid for the trouble. Never did mortal eye behold a sight of more sublime magnificence than is afforded us as we cautiously peer into the
48
abyss from the very brink of this majestic cliff. On the verge of the precipice vs^e found a small pine tree growing, and notwith- standing the Superintendent's notice, we could not refrain from leaving our names upon it. One of the party posted a notice upon the tree which we have no doubt will be conformed to, not only moie strictly, but more agreeably. It read thus:
Notice: Tourists are requested not to Jzimp over these falls^ as it spoils the Jishing below. By order of the Superintendent.
We scale the mountain, return to camp, repicket our horses, build the camp fires for the night, and are soon recupeiating from the fatigues of the day in sound sleep.
August 23. — We j^ass an uncomfortable night, owing to the cold, and daylight reveals the fact of it being an exceedingly restless one, too, as we find that by our efforts to keep warm we have tumbled and rolled about fifteen feet from where we laid down. We collect wood for the camp fire, and, having thawed out, prepare our frugal repast, which consists, principally, of salt bread. We are soon en route for the Lower Geyser Basin and home.. The air is very pure and invigorating, and as we strike a mile or so of good trail, we give our horses the rein, and, with a war whoop, strike out at a spanking rate.
After riding four or five miles we come back again towards Alum Creek. When within abbut a mile of the creek, we find another trail leading off to the west or southwest, and, as this is the trail that Houston told us to take on our back route, we fol- low it for about two miles and come out on the creek near the side of a mountain with scrubby pines on the side and summit. This, in view of subsec|uent events, is an important landmark.
VVe follow the south fork of this stream some ten miles and come to Alum Spring. Its clear cold water is very inviting to the tliirsty, but as Houston, had told us of its peculiaiities, we were not thirsty enough to drink.
As Houston was coming to the geyser, he tokl the boy, Hen- derson, that this spring was the last cool water he would find for some time, whereuijon the boy dismounted and took a huge
49
mouthful and — spit it out without being told to do so. By the time he could get the pucker out of his mouth, and find words to express the pent up anguish of his soul, his wrath had fled and Houston thus escaj^ed the most complete errudiate and accomp- lished cussing of his life'. A little water with something m it, be it heat or mineral, contains a great deal of latent eloquence.
We ascend the mountain separating Geyser Land from the Yel- lowstone, and find we are on a different trail fromi that which we passed over on Monda}-. This one leads down the mountain b}- way of Mary's Lake. As we proceed we come to more sulphur springs, where we gather more specimens of cr3'stalized sulphur for Chief Joseph's cabinet. A mile or so beyond we come out on Mary's Lake wdiich we find, is a beautiful sheet of water a half mile long, by one fourth of a mile in width, situated upon the summit of the divide. We water our horses, gather some specimens of the rock formation, pass along the western shore and soon begin the descent of the mountain, to the Lower Gey- ser Basin. The trail now runs almost perpendicularly up and down the mountains, and it is next to impossible to sit on our horses. I do not meet with such difficulty as the others, inas- much as the long ears of my charger prevent my slipping over his head. Eight miles of this route brings us to the foot of the mountain where we again meet Texas Jack and party going back toward Yellowstone Falls. We chat for a time and he informs us that we will meet Riche's party coming up.
On the marsh, at the base of the mountain the trail is very in- distinct and it is with difficulty that we find it. By keeping to the left, however, we find it and come out upon our trail of Mon- day at the place where we met the old man Shrively. We had not met Riche's party and conclude that they have taken the other trail to the falls. The marsh which we had just left was covered with hot springs, mud, w^illows and tall grass and to this fact may be attributed my ability to write this book. Had it not been for the willows and high grass it might have been other- wise, upon the principle that "dead men tell no tales." This will become manifest as the reader progresses. A mile
60
farther down wc come to Texas Jack's dinner camp, and it being now two p. M,, we conclude to camp here. We picket horses, buikl camp fire and are about to dine oil tlie scant}- provisions we have left, when Din^ee announces with a cry of s^lad- ncss that he h:!s found the hiiid Cjuartcrs of an eagle that Texas Jack or sonie of his party had killed a few^ hours before. Dingce seems to thnik that it is quite an acquisition to our depleted larder, and immediately set'^ about preparing it for dinner. He fiie^. the legs, and the usual sum- m(^ns to " grul) " is given with an amendment, " and eagle bird by chance." Perhaps the old pioneers of Virginia, M T.,will appreciate the amendment, when they remember Sax}^ of Vir- "^ ghiia, in the gem where
he kept his roulette table, in '6:^. As he gave the wheel a turn, with the exclamation ! " houchy, conchy, conchy, couchy; " ^ ninety-nine in the red, or
'^'■S^PBIJtpl c^-gle bird by chance !" /' 1 remember it distinctly, as having invested live
dollars in the ,^X'>nie
'}'
,^^^^A-i^— -^^^^-d.*^*'^^^^^ father forcibly impressed ^.v^-^i:-': =>^,. -^5^ : -.^<^-^ — ; it ypou my mind, and
GIANl GEYSKK, 200 FEET HIGH.- , , • , i • i
p ^- elsewhere with a shmgle.
51
As we sit down, we again hear the " eagle bird by chance,'' as Dingee hiys hold ot a leg with his teeth^ but fails to fetch any meat. I pass my share out to the dog, Dido. It may be noted that our dinner of the next day was taken, at the same place as was this, but with a largely increased number, and iiiuch less hi- laiity. We, also, had " l)ird by chance," 'but it was White Bird. Dinner over, we, in a spnit of fun that will, at times, move the most sedate, decorate ourselves and horses with the eagle feathers ni true Indian style, and, remounting our horses, give the Indian war whoop and strike out on a gallop for the home camp ni the basm. For three miles down the east fork of the Fire Hole River, our trail is good, but on crossing we find the trail is through fallen timber, which necessitates slower traveling. In passing through the timber three miles, we cross tlie east fork three times, but we finally come out on the east side of the stream. Off to the right we hear a gun fired, and presently see a man running towards us. He comes to the opposite bank of the stream, when we see that it is old man vShrively. He says he has lost his horses; had traced them this far, and inquires if we have seen ihem. Being answered in tlie negative, he asks if we will carry his " traps " to the settlement, in case he does not find his horses, and we consent. Subsequent events show that this arrangement was unnecessary as Chief Joseph kindly re- lieved us of the necessity of looking after them. In that way his magnanimity is overpowering.
We ask the old man to come to our camp and btay (jver nii^ht, and push onward leaving him to continue his search.
An hour's ride brings us near camp, when putting the spurs to our horses we give the war whoop and rush headlong into camj^. We are greeted by .all the party with a cordial "How, how," and in me, Oldham recognizes a long lost chief, Red Eagle, but Dingee dispels the illusion by asserting that " we are the lost babes of whoop-up-or-any-otherman."
As we dismount, Dingee imploringly asks for cold victuals and unsaltcd bread. Mrs. Cowan, assisted by the others, soon pre- pares an cxecllent repast and Dingee proceeds to make amends
52
for the tlays of fasting, while I reh^te our adventures. The ac- count of our adventures were not without tints, and it is a small estimate to say that the amount of provisions consumed by Din- gee was fully in proportion to the amount of coloring used by me.
We find the party in excellent spirits and Myers, although yet a cripple, hobbles around with good grace.
There is another party in camp by the name of Harmon, a prospector from Colorado, whom we had met in Riche's party, and we were told that old man Shrively had taken breakfast with them in the morning- and had lost his horses while eathig break- fast in their camp.
CASTLE GEYSER-
It is now seven o'clock, and we build an enormous camp five and call a council to decide our future wanderings. The result of the conference is, that, having seen the sights, we will start for home in the morning.
This being our last night. in the Basin we institute a grand jol- )iricati(jn. The guitar and violin are produced and music, singing, ;iii(l dancing follows. Mann makes a sketch of the camp, with Oldiiam conspicuous in his Indian co.stuinc, in which we have dressed him lor tlic occasion* Wc finish the evening's entertain-
53
ment with a "pigeon wing" from Diiigee, a "double shuffle'' from Arnold, and a song in full chorus, entitled "Flitting Away." The events that follow have vividly impressed upon the minds of all, the closing lines of the song:
"Flitting, flitting away, All that we cherish most dear." We bid each other good night and turn in for tht last night, as we supposed, in Geyser Land.
HOT SPUING CONE, IN YELLOWSTONE LAKE.
I had noticed that during the evening Mrs. Cowan was uneasy, and u^DOn being asked what was wrong, replied "nothing.'' Yet I was not satisfied, and as I lay there, I could see her occacion- ally come to the door of the tent and look out into the woods. I lay awake for a time, but about twelve o'clock d]-opped asleep.
We were beneath the trees, Arnold and Myers being together beneath one tree about eighteen feet from the camp fire, Mann and Dingee about eight feet nearer Ihe fire rolled in their blankets, and Oldham and myself next to them. Cowan, Mrs. Cowan and Ida were in the tent, fifteen or tv/enty feet to the right, near- er die woods. How well I remember every incident of that evening- Little did we think that, as we slept, three red devils were within fifty feet of us, and had been watching our antics from the shadows of the trees.
54
DEPARTURE OF THE PARTY.
At ckiylight Dingee and Arnold are up and build camp fire preparatory to getting breakfast. As it grows lighter, Dingee takes the coffee pot and pail to bring water from a little stream in the edge of the timber, near Thud Geyser. He has not gone but a few yards when, looking towards the southwest, he saw within iifty yards of him, three Indians sitting upon then- horses quite still. Seenig that they were discovered, they moved towards camp, each saying "How, how '^" Dingee answers "How?"
They come into camp and- Arnold came and woke Oldham and myself, saying:
"Frank, get up c<[uick, there are Indians in camp I"
I jump to my feet and ask:
"How many?"
"Three," he replies.
"What are they?" • "I don't know, but think they are Nez Perces."
"Wake the balance of the camp, except Emma and Ida," I said, but the precaution is not needed, as I can sec Mrs. Cowan looking through the folds of the tent at the Indians.
As I am dressing I hear Dingee ask the Inchans:
"What are you?"
"Snake Injun," one replied.
"No vSnake Indian," says Dingee, to which lliey made no
reply-
The cam]) is nearly all u]) and I g(» towards the Indians and say "How? ' They each resp(jnd "How?"
I addiess the one nearest me and ask:
"What triDe?"
"Me Nez Perce," he replies.
"Whatband?"! again ask.
"Looking (jlass' liand," he answers.
Leaving the ])arty to (|uestion ihern I g(; to the tent and fmd Mrs. Cowan crying quietly.
55
"Is there any clanger, Frank?" she asks.
"I do not know, but hope not. Is George awake?"
"No."
I tell her to awake him and open the tent. Cowan i'^ now awake and I tell him we are going to have some trouble. Ida IS aroused by our conversation, and cautioning both her and Em- ma not to show themselves, I go back to where the bo3's are in- terrogating the Indians. Arnold tells me that the Indians want flour, bacon, sugar, etc., and I sit down to talk with them. Ad- dressing one ol them, I ask:
"What is your name?'
"Me Charley," he replies,
"Where is the balance of the Indians?"
"Down there not far," (pointing southwest towards the east fork of the Fire Hole,) "camped on river down there.'"
"How many?"
"Three, four hundred."
"Who chief>^"
"Looking Glass, Joseph, White Bird, chiefs. Joseph, he towards Lake, three da3^s," meaning that Joseph was towards Henry's^ Lake about three days march.
"Will tliey fight party?" meaning ourselves.
'■'Don't know, ma^be Iniun^ come steal horses, maybe kill. Don't know."
"Will chief kill citizens?"
"No, chief no kill you. No kill you, friends."
Cowan now comes up and says "How?" and asks them some questions about who thev are, etc. The}' keep their eves on the tent while talking, and leaving the boys to keep them engaged, I motion to Cowan, and we walk to one side to decide what course to pursue. We are convinced from what has been said, that they mean us harm, and we conclude to keep Emma and Ida concealed, and send the Indians off as soon as possible. Covv^- an goes into the tent and I return to camp, when Charle}' says:
"Injuns no kill, no fight, chiefs no kill you; no kill you, friends.''
56
"We stay here?" I ask.
'■'Don't know, maybe some Joseph's Injuns come up here, kill you, maybe want horses. HeajD mad, Joseph's Injuns."
"How many bad Indians?"
He replied by liolding up both hands three times, meaning thirty, ten each time. He says:
"Joseph's Injuns heap bad."
Arnold and Dingee have gone on the hill back of camp to see if they can get a sight of the other Indians that Charley says are encamped near us. The Indians again make a demand for cof- fee, bacon, etc., but Cowan does not propose to give it to them. Upon this, one of the other Indians gets up and moves back a little ways and places his hands- to his mouth and tries to whistle through his thumbs. Cowan grabs his needle gun and says:
"Here, none of that. Keep 3^our hands down!" at the same time motioning him to keep his hands by his side. Charlc}'^ turns around and speaks to the Indian m their native ^ongue, and he comes back and; sits down, •
I ask Charley if they saw an old man down the creek. He rejjlied :
"Yes. Injuns got him prisoner now. Catch him last night."
"How did you know our party was here?" I asked him. Pointing to the other Indians and himself he answers:
"We go out watch. See big fire, come up. Sec you all time. Watcli you all night in vv^oods. Injuns watch 'em heap all night. Von heap big time," pointing to our part}^ and referring to our jollification of the night before.
Arnold and Dingcc now return and rej^jort Indians in every di- rection below us, looking at the geysers. We all hold a consul- t;jtion and decide that we had better not move. Some think we h;id hotter stand them off, but all agree to getting the horses, and thieve or four go out for tliat purpose while the remainder vvalcli llie Indians.
I proposed to Cownn t/iat he and 1 rick" down to see the chiefs and ask that we 1)e allowed to return home without molestation. Cowan docs not approve of the plan, but ujDon my representing »
61
that had they intended to kill us, they could have easily done so during the night without fear of retaliation, he admits that it may be advisable to go, and finally gives his consent. I ask Charley what he thinks of my going to see the chiefs, and if he thinks we will be allowed to return. He answers:
" Don't know. Maybe so. Maybe Injun kill. Don't know." There is evidently no satisfaction to be had from this fellow, and we make ready our horses to go down and determine the question by experience.
As we are about to set out, Mrs. Cowan comes to us and begs us not to go, and says that if we go, all should go together. The Indians have arisen and are talking together, and pointing to the ladies. There is deviltry in tneir eyes, and as Cowan looks to- ward them he picks up his needle gun. I tell him not to shoot yet, to wait awhile. The boys are all in with the horses now, and the Indians keep asking for flour, bacon, etc. Two of them have stepped over to Harmon's camp to beg, Dingee and Arnold have gone up on the hill, and Mann coolly gets the coffee pot and proceeds to get breakfast. I remark that I doubt if there is a healthy appetite in the party, that of the Indians excepted, and Mrs. Cowan remonstrates with him for cooking at such a time as this. Mann replies that it is getting late, and we might just as well eat as not, but adds, " if you don't want any breakfast let us pack up and move out of here." That's my sentiments exactly, and Mann and Myers give the Indians some bacon and flour to keep them quiet. Oldham and myself proceed to harness the horses, and we conclude that we will pull out down through the main encampment and take our chances. We all assist in getting ready to mc»ve, and as Dingee and Arnold are still out, I halloo for them to come in. They do so, and report Indians all around us, but think that they have not discovered us as yet. Arnold is opposed to our going, but as we are all ready, he reluctantly consents and gets into the buggy wnth Mrs. Cowan and Ida. Mann and Myers take the wagon; Oldham, Dingee, Cowan, Harmon and myself mount our horses, and, taking the three In- ians with us, we break camp, and file out about nine o'clock.
7
58
Dingee's prophecy is about to be fulfilled; he is already visibly affected with emaciation.
The three Indians are marched ahead, with Oldham on one side, Dingee on the other, and Cowan immediately behind them. The carriage follows next, with Harmon and myself following it, and the wagon brings up the rear. We, you may be sure, each grasped our guns. I have a good needle gun with eight rounds of ammunition, Harmon has a Henry rifle with two hun- dred cartridges, Cowan has a good needle gun with thirty rounds of ammunition, Myers has my shot gun, Mann has a Ballard rifle and a revolver, Dmgee has a good revolver, and Oldham has a Ballard rifle, but with only three rounds of ammunition, and a small revolver. These, with our hunting knives, which all carry, constitutes the sum total of our weapons of defence.
The Indians have one needle gun, two Henry rifles, and are well supplied with ammunition and knives.
As we leave the grove of pines, where we were encamped, we have, for a mile and a half, a piece of swampy marsh land, in front, to the left, and off to the right, extending in all two and one- half or three miles from north to south. We had not left the timber more than two hundred yards when we ascended a little rise in the marsh, from which we see the Indians on the move up the east fork. As far as we could see, up and down the river, they were moving abreast in an unbroken line ten or fifteen feet deep, driving j^onies and constantly riding out and in the line. We could see about three miles of Indians, with one thousand or fifteen hundred ponies, and looking off to the left we could sec more Indians looking at the geyers in Fire Hole Basin.
As vvc came out into full view upon, the rise, there was a com- motion along the line, and w(? could see the warriors drop out and gather into groups of, perhaps, thirty or forty each, and stood looking towards us. We contined our course south-west, in almost an opposite direction from that of the Indians, which was north-east. They watch us lor a tinie, when of a sudden, with one impulse seemingly, they come jDcU-mell, whooping and yell-
5d
ing like a band of fiends. Emma and Ida beg of us to shoot them rather than let them fall into the hands of such demons. Cowan rides up to Charley and tells him to stop the Indians from coming closer. Charley acts upon the hmt and rides out and warns them back, and we stop our wagons. As our little band gather together in the face of such overwhelming numbers, there is a strange glitter in their eyes, and it is evident that they will not go down without sending several yelling red devils to the " happy hunting grounds " as a partial recompense.
The Indians check up, and finally halt about one-fourth of a mile from us. They number about seventy-five or eighty war- riors. I propose that we keep on our w^ay, and we again start. We encounter Indians coming and going in every direction, and as fast as we come up to them they follow along with us, and before we know it they have us completely surrounded. We have now reached the east fork, and on crossing it we have but a mile to go before we strike the timber land on our route home. The Indians cross with us, and allow us to proceed about a half- mile further, when they order us to stop. We dismount, and ask them what they want. But they make no reply, and keep riding around us, varying the proceeding occasionally by gallop- ing to and fro in front of us. As our party glance frequently at Mrs. Cowan and Ida, who are crying quietly, I can see their eyes snap and their hands play nervously with their guns. The Indians watch us constantly like cats, and keep their guns cocked and lying across their horses in front of them.
I turned to Charley, w^ho has done all the talking so far, (the red devil keeps his eyes on Mrs. Cowan all the time) and ask him why we were stopped, and why they keep us w^aiting there. He says that Looking Glass is coming pretty soon.
We w^ait here probably five minutes, when an old Indian comes up who tells us, through Charley, that Looking Glass wants us to come back to him, and that Chief Joseph is coming wit)i his Indians but a little ways off,
Charley tells our party to turn back, and that Looking Glass and White Bird will save us from Joseph's " bad I/ijuns." At
60
this about thirty or forty of the Indians near us break off towards the timber in front of us, yelling and shouting as they go, and soon disappear in the timber.
Charley tells us to turn back quick, as the Indians have gone to tell Joseph's band to hurry up. We remount our horses, but I can see that our party don't care particularly to return, but we start back, inasmuch as we can't help ourselves. I thought that we would be safe could we but reach the chiefs, and hastened to turn the buggy and wagon, and retrace our course. We had got fairly started back, when we hear a noise in the rear, and directly here comes the Indians who had gone after Joseph, with their in- fernal " yip, yij^, yipping."
They ride up behind us and urge us forv^^ard by saying, "Qiiick, fast. Heap fast," and as they ride around us on all sides they throw the ends of their lariat at the horses in the wagon and buggy and we start on the run with the Indians all around us, laughing and shouting, and telling us that Joseph is coming. We go in this way for a time then turn off to the left and follow the main trad upon which we saw the Indians moving vy^hen we first left camp. The devils keep "whooping us up, plenty," having lots of fun among themselves, seemingly at our expense. We strike the east fork now and are on a full run again. Mrs. Cowan and Ida are considerably frightened and Dingee is evi- dently losing his apjDctite.
We continue in this manner for three or four miles, when we come to fallen timber lying across the trail and we see that we are compelled to abandon our wagons, as we cannot travel farther with them. The party halts and we proceed to unhitch the horses and saddle them for Mrs. Cowan and Ida to ride. The Indians arc all around us watching every movement and constantly telling us to hurry.
While the boys are busy saddling up, I propose that I ride ahead and sec if I cannot sec Looking Glass and, White Bird, and get the party out of this scrape. Oldham wishes to go with me, but I tell him 1 will go alone, -and recpicst hmi to stay with the party. I turned to an Indian near me, who had a large red
61
bandana handkerchief tied about his forehead with the knot in the rear, and ask:
**Will you take me to Looking Ghiss?"
"Yes, yes," he rephes, "you give me cartridge."
"All right," I answer.
"How many you give?" '
"How many do you want?"
"Five or six."
"All right," I reply, and bidding our party good bye, and tell- nig them to hurry up to the chiefs as soon as possible, we start ahead.
We have overtaken the main body of Indians and we travel as fast as the trail and Indians will permit. We cross the river and try to get by the Indians but without making much head- way. We travel in this way for a mile or so when my guide proposes that we cross the river and take a cut-oif saying that he guesses that Looking Glass has gone up to the head of the column. He turns his horse across the river and I follow. The mare I am riding is uneasy and it is with difficulty that I urge her into the stream. We cross and take to the timber, and are now about a half mile from the other Indians wdio are on the opposite side of the river.
As we are riding along, my guide tells me that he is a brother of Looking Glass, as Looking Glass married his sister. He says that the citizens killed his squaw and papoose at the Big Hole fight, and concludes a history of his troubles by saying he is "heap mad."
I tell him that when he catches the fellows that killed his squaw- to "whoop 'em up plenty," but that my friends and I were not to blame.
"Me heap mad. Me no like white man," he replied, and can- dor compels me to admit that there was no loss of love between us.
Directly he stopf)ed short, and said his horse could go no far- ther, and said :
62
"You give me cartridge, and go on. You find Looking Glass up there little way."
"All right, but you must show me Looking Glass."
"No," he said, "my horse tired. Me no go."
We argued the matter for a time, and finally compromised by my agreeing to go ahead, and then his horse would follow.
He turned out of the path to let me go by, and I started to pass him and take the lead, thinking of no danger from him, at least. Just as I was about to pass him I saw him drop his hand on his revolver, I took the hint, stopped my horse, and as I was yet in the rear I quickly brought my needle gun into good position for that red bandana and said:
"Look here, my friend, you go now. You take me to Look- ing Glass and hurry up, too!"
He looked around, but seeing that
I HAD "THE DROP" ON HIM,
hurriedly said :
"Me go, me go!" . ,
"You go fast, too. No stop. You stop me catch you, you bet!-'
"No stop, you bet," and we "lit out" on a lope, his horse show- ing no disposition to tire. He did'nt stop again. As we rode along I thought I had never, with all my weakness, made such a fool of myself as I did this time. I was mad. To let that blood thirsty devil coax me out there alone for a target. His scheme was well planned, and it was only by the merest chance that he was foiled in his designs. It gave me a lesson in one phase of the Indian character,, and I learned it quickly and well. It is this: Never trust a red skin.
We proceeded now at a canter until we came to where Ar- nold, Dingcc and myself had encamped for dinner the day before. Here is an opening where the Indians are going into camp for dinner. Looking Glass was not here yet, but we dismounted to wait for him. My guide grew very anxious about his cartridges, but I thought it would be a good idea to keep them from him
until I saw Looking Glass. So I told him he could have them when he showed me the chief, but not before,. The Indians be- gan to gather around us now and as they were getting too fa- miliar to be entertaining, I backed out ot the crowd and stood upon the outside of the ring.
As I was standing near watching the maneuvers of the crowd, I was approached by an Indian whom my guide introduced as Looking Glass. I offered my hand and said " How ? " He accepted it and returned the salutation " How, how? "
LOOKING GLASS is a man of medium height, and is apparently forty-five years of age, his hair being streaked with grey. He has a wide, flat face, almost square, with a small mouth running from ear to ear. His ears were decorated with rings of purest brass, and down the side of his face hung a braid of hair, adorned at the end with brass wire wound around it. The ornament worn by him, that was most conspicuous, was a tin looking-glass, which he wore about his neck and suspended in front. From this he gets his high sounding and reflective title. He wore nothing on his head and had two or three feathers plaited in his back hair. This was his appearance to me, although my inventory of his stock of attrac- tions was a hasty one. I asked :
" You friend ? "
"Yes, citizens friend."
He then asked me who I was, and as I was about to explain to him why our party were in the basin, and the object of our coming, I was interrupted by the appearance of a half-breed and old man Shrively. Shrively Introduced the half-breed as
WHITE BIRD, and asked me questions concerning the party.
White Bird, (or more properly Joe Hale, as that is his name among the whites, and the name by which I shall hereafter call him) now told me to come w^ith him, and as Looking Glass had moved off, I started to follow, but was interrupted by my guid^ who again demanded his cartridges^ I gave him six and he
64
wanted more, but as I had but eight, I refused to give him more. Joe, seeing me give him cartridges asked me what I was doing, and I told him. He said:
" No give Injun cartridge, no give.""
" Shall I take cartridges back? " I ask.
He smiled significantly as he said:
" My friend, you no take ''ein back^"* and told me to come to his lodge. Shrively and I started to follow and as we walked after him Shrively gave me the particulars of his capture the night be- fore, and how he had purchased his life by consenting to act as guide for them. I asked him what he thought of our situation, and he said he believed in fatality, and that if our tmie had come we would die. I did not jump for joy at this announcement, as I thought our time had certainly come, judging from what I had seen durmg the morning, and that we would most assuredly go hence soon.
Arriving at
JOE'S CAMP
I was told to unsaddle the mare, and having done so, Joe came up and relieved me from further duty in that line. I was told to sit down, and having nothing better to do, did so. Shnvoly hav- ing taken care of his horse, came and sat down by me on some robes and blankets. As Joe was off attending to some camp af- fairs, we had a conversation about our situation, and we agreed in thinking that matters were anything but promising. He asked after my sisters, and gave me all the encouragement he could as regards them, as he saw that their welfiire was uppermost in my thoughts.
The Indians kept coming into camp, all driving their hoises. As they came into camp the warriors would lounge around in the grass while the squaws would do the unpacking and unsaddling and make the preparations for dinner.
Presently Joe came back and said :
" Give me gun."
I handed it to him.
65
" What you do up here?"
I made him understand, by imitathig the steam coming from the ground, that we had been visiting the geysers, I said:
" Can party go home? "
'^ Don^t know," he rephed, " me see Looking Glass and Joseph l^retty soon. They see."
" Is Joseph here?"
"Yes; Joseph's Injuns, bad Injuns. They kill all time. Bad Injuns Maybe trade horses. Take'm you horses. You horses tat; my horses poor. Me swap. Give'm you good horses; my horses poor, but take'm you home."
I asked him if we should give up our horses would they let us
00 home.
"Maylfe, my friend. We want you guns, you revolvers, all cartridges. . Injuns mayl^e w^ant blankets, saddles. Don't know. See bye'm-bye.''
He asked me how long before our party would come up, and
1 told him they w^ould he along "bye'm-bye. Indians got them way back. Be along bye'm-bye."
He told me to bring them into his camp when they came. He sat there looking at me for some tune, and finally observing a ring on my finger said :
" Let me see'm you ring?"
I held out my hand to let him examine it. He said:
" No. Get'm ofiF. Me want'm ring."
" No get'm off," I said.
"My friend, me see'm ring. Get'm off."
I told him I couldn't get it off; it fit too tightly; and I made an ineffectual attempt to remove it from my finger. He says:
" My friend, me get'm off," and he smiled seductively and convincingly as he took out his sheath knife and drew it across his finger.
I was not slow to take the hint, nor in benefitting by it. I put the ring in my mouth, and was astonished with the rajmiity with which it came off, although it did take a part of the finger with it. I took it from my mouth, and politely handed it to him.
66
As the thieving devil sHpped it on his finger, he incidentally re- marked, " Heap good."
I, wishing to convince him of my magnanimity, said :
"Joe, I give you that ring. I present it to you as a slight to- ken of my esteem. Please accept it."
He looked up and smiled complacently, but I could not tell from his manner w^hether he fully appreciated my generosity, but infer, from the significant w^ink of his left eye, that he did.
We had now been in camp a half hour, when I saw our party coming, surrounded by the Indians, I told Joe my friends were coming, and he said for me to bring them to his camp. I mo- tioned for Cowan to come to us, and as they rode up I formally presented them to White Bird, who directed them to dismount and remove the saddles. They complied, and Joe and his In- dians took the horses to the trees near by and tied them* While Joe was kindly taking charge of the horses, I conversed with the party, and they all thought, as I did, that our |chances were du- bious. Joe having returned, I told the party, in his presence and that of Shrively, whom all had greeted cordially, that Joe thought we could go if we would give up our guns, ammunition, etc. I turned to Joe and asked him if that was right, and he says: *
" Yes, my friends. You all stay here. Me go see Joseph and Looking Glass," and he started around the encampment, which was in the form of a circle, and numbered four or five hundred Indians in all. He was riding Cowan's horse, and as he made the circuit of the camp he kept haranguing the warriors. I after- wards learned that he was hallooing, " watch out, look out," which was a caution to them not to let the soldiers surprise them. Having made the round he rode to the other side of the en- cam])mcnt from us, where I presume Looking Glass and Joseph were encamped, as I saw a great many warriors ride up to where Joe entered the woods.
In about fifteen minutes Joe returned and told us that he would give us horses to go home with, but wanted us to "swap." He also said he wanted our guns, ammunition, etc., and as he ofTered
67
nothing in exchange for these, we supposed he accepted them as " boot."
A HORSE TRADE EXTRAORDINARY.
Our party consulted upon the proposition made us, and as we couldn't do anything else, consented to take the crow with no requests for turkey.
The Indians, headed by Joe, now began the " swapping," and as it seemed to be altogether a one-side trade, it was soon finished. Their method was to take a horse, without even sa}'ing "swap" or no " swap," lead it away, and bring us back whatever they pleased. To Oldham, from whom they had taken two good horses, they brought a horse, very poor, and a little old mule, that had been shot through the shoulders. Oldham took the lar- iat of his mule, and, giving it a jerk, turned it around, and finally succeeded in getting it near Mrs. Cowan, to whom he remarked, " that this was the easiest crowd to trade with he ever saw." He stood and critically examined that mule from " stem to stern," as Skipper Dingee would put it, then, as a wave of unfathomable disgust swept over his features, he spoke through his foot in a way that was at once expressive and moving; at least it moved the mule about a rod. He stood looking at the mule's ears al- ternately flopping as it hobbled away, seemingly lost in deep reverie. Dingee aroused him by asking "Al, what do you think vour little " Bunch of Roses" would say could she see you now ?" It was too much, (mule,) and he walked away.
Cowan with Mrs. Cowan, Ida, and Shrively, were sitting by themselves during the "trading." Cowan sits smoking, never saying a word, except it be to encourage Mrs. Cowan, but watch- ing carefully every motion of the Indians. Shrively is doing all he can to cheer Ida, and the rest of the party are walking back and forth impatiently waiting for the Indians to finish dividing the spoils.
Joe finally came to us and informed us that they had finished, and pointed out the horses we were to take. He told us to put our saddles on them, which surprised^ us, as we never expected such a courtesy. We hastily complied and were soon ready for
the road, Emma retaining her side saddle and Ida riding in a man's saddle.
As we were about to depart I went to Joe and asked him for some bread for the white girls, and he stepped back to where his squaw was and obtained some for them. I gave it to the girls, but Mrs. Cowan did not eat.
They now robbed us of our guns except the Ballard rifle of Oldham's which he refused to give them. Charley, our inter- preter of the morning, .taking Dingee's six shooter, a splendid weapon, (and one that subsequently played a prominent part in the shooting,) which he appropriated to his own needs with con- siderable relish. Another Indian came to Dingee and asked him to swap blankets, holding up his dirty, greasy, single blanket, that he proposed exchanging for Dingee's extra double one. Din- gee, with an eye to business says :
" No swap."
" Better swap. Take'm blanket any way," says the Indian, and Dingee with another eye to discretion, says:
" All right. Me swap."
Nobody has ever asked Dingee what induced him to make that trade, but he must certainly have had good reasons for mak- ing it. Dingee is shrewed. He may lose his appetite, but never his wits.
The Indians had finished their dinner and been on the move some time since, and the warriors now gathered round us and took our knives. They were moving over the mountains sejDarat- ing the Basin from the Yellowstone, by the same trail we had followed from the foils. Joe came to us and said :
" Get'm horses quick. Injuns come now. Bad Injuns come They getting mad now. You go quick, my friends. You go ' out in tim1:)er. Keep in timber, my friends. No go out of woods."
" Will we get away, Joe?" I asked.
" Yes, my friend. Me hope you get away, but Injuns heap mad." • • "
I proposed that our party stay with him. He said:
69
" No, you go home now," and he came and shook us b}^ the hand, saying:
" Good b3^e. Go quick."
As he passed Arnold and Dingec he tokl them to get away the best they coukl as " Injuns heap mad. They kill maybe."
He came to Mrs. Cowan and Ida, and shaking their hands said :
" Good bye, my friends, good bye, my sisters."
He mounted his horse, (the one I had ridden, belonging to Mrs. Cowan,) and leaning over whispered to me :
" My friend, go quick. Me tell you now go quick ; bad Injuns over there," pointing to the flats out beyond his camp. As he said go quick, he gave his horse a dig in the side, and away he went towards the head of the column on the trail going over the mountain, taking Shrively with him.
DANGER THICKENS.
Our party now started for the timber and when we had gone about thirty or forty yards, we looked back and saw the Indians following us in two's and three's coming out on each side of us with their guns cocked ready for use. One glance was suflicient to show our party that we were in for a muss, but as I glanced at the party I could see no evidence of fear, only anxiety for Em- ma and Ida. I sincerely believe that throughout all our trials, this was the one thought uppermost in the minds of all.
Charley, with several other Indians, now came pretty close and told us to come out of the timber, and go home by the trail. It was swampy and mirey, with many warm springs and much fallen timber there. Our horses kept falling and stumbling, and I said to the party :
" Let us get out of this. If we have to be shot, let us get out where they can have a fair show to get us."
The bo3^s were tired of this, and we turned and left the timber and struck the flat. As we came out we saw forty or fifty Indians above us two or three hundred yards, and as they saw us coming out of the timber they made a break for us and soon had us sur- rounded.
70
Charley spoke aii^sald:
" Where balance ^Iparty?"
" All here," I replied.
" No, two gone."
I looked around and found that Arnold and Dingee were gone. I sincerely thanked God that they were away. I knew then that our friends would know how we had died.
Charley then spoke to the Indians, and some of them started off into the woods. Turning to us he said:
" Two men get away. Injuns catch 'em now, kill 'ern sure. No get away."
I think that there was a silent prayer from the hearts of every one, for their safety.
The Indians had now surrounded us and were jabbering away among themselves when I turned round and asked Charley what they proposed doing with us.
" You £ro home pretty soon ^'' he ansvs^ered. Saying something to the Indians they separated for us to go through down the trail towards the wagons.
THE FIRST SHOT.
We started down the trail, the Indians meanwhile sitting on their ponies watching us, and we had got but a few rods, when \\ c heard shots in the woods near wdiere we supposed Arnold and Dingee were.
" There go Dingee and Arnold, poor fellows," we exclaimed.
The compressed lip and flashing eye said plainer than words could express it, " Oh if we only had guns now! " It is fortunate that we did not have them or there would have been none left to tell this tale.
Hearing the guns, the Indians, with a yell, started for us again, and we stopped and waited for them to come up. Emma and Ida were crying quietly, but not a sound escaped their lips to tell of their terror. It was pitiful to look in their eyes and see the anguish of mind reflected in their depths. My heart bled for my poor helpless sisters.
11
The Indians rode to us and began jostling, laughing, shouting, and running against us. Soon another squad of the cowardly- devils came up and joined in the hellish fun, and kept pointing their cocked guns at us.
Finally Charley said that Joseph wanted us to come hack, and I proposed to the party that we go back to the chief, and we again turned and started back, the Indians following us laughing and jostling us as we went.
We had gone about two hundred yards w^hen they again stopped and demanded our saddles and blankets, which we gave them, and one Indian dismounted and pulled a revolver out of Mann's boot. Mann, with more indignation than it is possible to express in words, shouted, " You take it. Take evervthing, you a dhog!"
They then told us to get on our horses again and come along. As we did so a number of the Indians broke off and entered the timber, but there was still forty or fifty surrounding us. As we reached the edge of the timber we were told to get together in a group. A little chief, who wore a drummer's jacket and was riding a large black horse, now took command, and I noticed that the other Indians obeyed him implicitly. They kept riding around and around us telling us to get close together, and thev would significantly feel each other's pulse and laughingly point at us. We understood them.
We did not obey them in getting together, knowing well what it meant. The little chief coming near me I begged him to let the party go, as we had nothing to fight with, I said :
" No fight, no fight. Nothing to fight with."
He looked at me a moment and said :
" Get 'em together," pointing to the party.
I looked around and saw that the party w^ere all mixed in among the Indians. I to spoke them, saying :
"BOYS, DON'T GET TOGETHER."
I particularly noted the appearance of Cowan, who w^as quiet- ly sitting upon his horse, but with an expression of deadly hate in his eye that I never can forget.
n
The hooting and yelling painted devils surrounding us, toy- ing with us, ere they took the life-blood for which they thirsted. At such a time one is almost forced to believe that there is no jus- tice in heaven.
We waited here some ten minutes for the killing to com- mence, knowing, by the expression of their faces, that it was in- evitable. I finally turned to the party and said: *' Let us try to get to Joe." We started, but the Indians shouted, '" No go," and the little chief rode in front of me. I shouted again, " Yes, we go. You kill, kill now. No care," and I did not care, as I thought that killing was then* game, and the sooner it was done the better.
We began to move, and as the chief had ridden in front of me I turned my horse to the left and rode up beside him, he having in the meantime turned his towards mine. We rode side by side some distance when he stopped both our horses and let our party pass. We fell in behind them, and had advanced but a few rods when we heard \.\no shots about thirty or forty yards ahead of us, and I heard Mrs. Cowan scream:
" O, George ! O, George ! "
The little chief then made a break to the left upon the side of the mountain above the trail, taking my horse with him. He dismounted, tied his horse to a sapling, took his gun from his belt, and started on a run down to the i^lace of shooting leaving me there. \n about five minuter after, I heard shots in different directions, and saw Indians plenty as the trees, and running in every direction. I could see Mrs. Cowan a few feet in front of me kneeling by Cowan and crying, " O, George, O, George." Qiiite a crowd of Indians had collected about them, and jircscntly I saw Ida running and screaming with the Indians after her. She kept screaming, and made a dash through the Indians and got to where Cowan and Mrs. Cowman were. I could liear Mrs. Cowan pleading for them "to kill her (Mrs. C.) too, to kill her first!"
Meanwliile tlie Indians kept running backwards and forwards, shouting all the time, and yelling as 'they thought they had shot
n
one of our party. At the first fire, it seems that the party broke, every one doing for himself. No one of us could fight but Old- ham, and he had been shot through the face at the first fire and was disabled. Cowan had been shot from the front, the ball pass- ins^ throuorh the thio-h. The Indian that shot him had aimed at his body. , Cowan, when shot, jumped from his horse and started for a ravine below the trail, but his limb being partially paralyzed, he fell over a fallen tree in his path, where Mrs. Cowan found him, she having jumped from her horse and broke through the crowd of Indians. The rest of the party had run towards the marsh, which, as before stated, was covered with willows and high grass. The Indians following and shooting at them.
In looking down towards where Cowan was, I saw a group of Indians in great commotion. Supposing that Cowan and all were killed I looked around to see some chance for escape. I found I was entirely surrounded by Indians who were watching me with guns in their hands, waiting for me to make a break when they would have shot me as I ran. I stooped down on the neck of my horse intending to leap to the ground when I saw guns raised all about me to shoot. I thought my time had come and straightened up on my horse expecting to feel a bullet crashing through me instantly. I really felt anxious for it to come, and relieve my suspense. All this occurred in less time than it takes to write it yet it seemed ages to me at the time.
As I raised up I happened to glance oflf to the left where I saw the young chief who had left his horse beside me, standing in a little thicket close at hand. He was in a stooping posture with his gun raised to his face about to fire. If there is a period in a man's life when he thinks rapidly, I believe it is at such a time. I thought that man}* of these Indians were Catholics and it sudden- ly occurred to me to make the sign of the cross. What impelled me to do so I know not. It was a sudden imjDulse that prompted me and it was as suddenly put into execution.
Instantly his gun was lowered and running to his horse he un- tied it, sprang upon it, and casting a hasty glance about us at the Indians, said to me. 8
"li
" Come quick. Me no kill you." *
I followed him and found that our course led past the crowd collected about Cowan. As we were about to pass I saw Mrs. Cowman wringing her hands and could hear her cry : .^
" O, my God! George, O, George!"
I could hear Ida cr^-ing " George, George, Emma, Emma!" I jumped from my horse and broke through the crowd of In- dians to where Mrs. Cowan and Ida were kneeling beside Cow- an. I saw Cowan reclining ujDon his left elbow and he seemed to recognize me about the same time that I saw him. I was then probably about four feet from him and as I approached he said : " Frank, for God's sake get me some water!" I glanced around and sav\^ that we were entirely hemmed in by Indians, and I said :
" George, I can't. We are all gone, there is no show for any of us."
He raised himself upon his hand and said : " O, God, won't some one get me some water?" Mrs. Cowan made a move as if to get up when I felt a touch upon my shoulder, turned and found it was the young chief who was standing close at my side. He spoke to me in a low tone, saying :
*•' Come quick, Injun kill now. Come quick." I followed him and joassed through the crowd of Indians who were still running around here and there like a swarm of bees. He led the way back to our horses which were standing as we left them, and mounting., motioned me to get on my horse, say- ing:
" Come (juick. Bad Injuns kill now. Come quick." He took the lead and I followed up the trail. We had gone perhaps fifty yards when he turned suddenly into the ravine or marshy place and beckoned me to follow. I ran my horse into the thicket after him, rode up beside him and began to tell him ^^not to kill white girls," when he held up his hand and motioned me to keep quiet. The Indians were still shooting all around us it seemed, and they would give a yell occasionally when they had hit one of our party, as I supposed.
^5
We had been in the thicket probably three or four minutes, Avhen, on looking through the bushes, I saw the Indians in a great commotion again surrounding Cowan and the girls. As I looked I heard another shot and a scream from Emma and Ida. I turned to my chief and begged him not to kill white girls, and crossed myself as I said it. He replied :
" No kill, no kill. Injun take'm white girls prisoner. No kill white girls. Take'm white girls, make'm squaw. No kill."
" Wdl Indian kill me?" I asked.
" Don't kno\^', maybe. You no go, you stay me. You m\ prisoner. Me no kill you. Me no like white man. Kill'm nn friends. Kill'm my squaw, my papoose, my friends in Big Hole light. Me no like you."
Looking at me a moment he crossed himself and said :
" Me catlic, 3^ou catlic."
The reader may be assured that I did not fail to keep tliat im- pressed upon his mind thenceforth.
I heard no more from Mrs. Cowan or Ida, and I could see that the Indians were dispersing. V/e remained where we were for about ten minutes or until matters had quieted down. We could hear an occasional shot in the distance, but there seemed to be no Indians in our immediate vicinity.
The chief, after a time turned to me and said :
" Come, you drive'm horses. Mj' horses."
All right," I said, and he having pointed out the horses I was to drive, I immediately adapted myself to my
NEW VOCATION
and made myself generally useful, rest assured.
The Indians now began to come back, the squaws drivino- the ponies first this way then that. They seemed to be wandering aimlessly ^ about, when the chief turning around, asked me if I knew the trail, pointing towards the mountains, I replied yes^ when he said:
"Injun lost. Don't know'm trail. You know'm trail?"
16
" Show'm trail."
I motioned for him to come with me, and we crossed the ravine and a Httle creek that comes down from Mary's Lake. Here the two trails come near together. 1 told him that both trails went over the mountain to the Yellowstone, and showed him by pointing, that the one leading north went by Mary's Lake but the one to the north-east did not. These trails run nearly par- allel, at no place being over four miles apart. He asked:
" Which way Injuns go?"
" Go either wa}^ Some go one way, some go other way," and explained that the trails met on the other side of the mountain about twelve or fifteen miles.
He looked steadil}^ at me for a moment then said :
" Show'm trail," motioning for me to take the right hand road.
There were quite a number of Indians gathered about us by this time, waiting to be shown the trail, and I took the lead and soon had them all following on the trail to the north-east. The chief then stopped me and said :
" Wait, you drive'm horses."
" All right," I said, and we stopped by the side of the trail waiting for some of the squaws to bring up the horses. Every now and then as the squaws, with the ponies and young Indians, were passing us, a little devil, fifteen or sixteen years old, would stop opposite us, raise his gun, cock it, and, pointing it towards me, would say :
" G— d d — m; G— d d — m ! No good. White man no good;" then they would look at each other and laugh uproarously. I will admit that I couldn't see where the laugh came in. It made me nervous. So nervous, in fact, that I resolved, then and there, if I ever got put of this scrape and should catch one of those imps, I would sit down on him, dig out his ears with a knife, and pour in the Lord's Prayer. Even after passing me, they would come back, where I was busily driving horses, and go through the same antics. I tell you those devilish little Indians made me more nervous than I ever was before or have been since. I could
11
not see that future generations were to be benefitted or civiliza- tion, in any degree, advanced by such practices, hence prefer, that in having such fun, they select another subject in the future.
The horses having come up the chief told me to help him drive them and not to " go way. Injuns kill. Stay me." I'ell- ing him, " No go. Mo stay, you hct^'' we starteci up the mountain.
About a mile from where the shooting had taken place, I looked back and saw a white woman riding on a horse behind a big Indian. I did not recognize her, and supposed it was another captive they had made before capturing us. I kept on driving the horses, backwards and forwards across the trail, vet kept my eyes on the woman coming behmd us. I did not thiiik it was Mrs. Cowan, as when I last saw her she wore a blue water- proof cloak, while this woman was dressed in light colored cloth- ing. A turn in the trail, however, brought us closer together, when I saw that it was Emma. I said:
" Emma ! "
She looked up and cried:
" Oh, Frank ! thank God you are alive."
She looked at me with such a look of horror depicted in her sunken eyes, as I hope I may never see upon the face of any hu- man again.
" Where is Ida? " I asked.
" I saw her taken off by the Indians, and think she is with them somewhere."
"Are any of our party alive?"
" No; they are all killed. None got away I think. Oh, it is horrible. They killed George. They shot him through the head, and I had my arms around his neck. Frank, it is killing me. I can't stand this much longer."
« Did you see Al.?" (Mr. Oldham.)
I saw him shot and fall off his horse. He jumped, threw up his hands and fell. The Indians followed him down into the ra- vine, and I heard them shoot once more. Oh, Frank, it was hor- rible, horrible. I wish I were dead,"
" Emmaj was there no show for any of the party getting away clown there ? "
" No,*" she said, " they were all killed." Pausing a moment, she continued:
" As this Indian lifted me on to the horse, I saw an Indian standing over George with a big rock in his hands. I saw George raise his hand to his head and the Indian then threw the stone on him, striking him on the head and crushing the skull all in. Oh, Frank, it was horrible. I have begged the Indians to kill me but they won't do it. What shall I do? I don't rec- ollect anything more after the Indian threw the stone, until you spoke."
I kept telling her to keejD. up. We w^ouid get together again.
''What are they going to do w^ith us, Frank?''. she asked. " I don't know. Since we have lived this long, I have hopes that we may. get out all right," I replied. She continued, say- ing: "Frank, if they kill you, what shall I do? What shall I do?"
We had been riding about fifteen or twenty feet apart, and our conversation was carried on as I rode in and out among the horses which I was busily driving.
CHARLEY'S WORK.
Emma was riding behind Charley, the Indian who had come into camp in the morning, and was his prisoner. I saw then, what I before suspected, that he was the author of all the mis- chief During all our trials of the day J had noticed that he kept his eyes on Emma, and now, m the culmination of our misery, I could see the realization of his hopes. Did you ever thirst for the warm heart's blood of a human? If not you can not imagine how intensely I hated that devil then. How I longed for my gun, and with what supreme satisfaction I could have scattered liis brains to the winds. I thought that I saw a beloved sister subjected to a fate a thousand times worse than death. I doubt if God himself, the embodiment of love, would chastise me for har- boring such thoughts as I did then.
79
Charley now stopped his horse and we were separated and I could not see her any where. We had by this lime gone some two or three miles up the mountain when the chief motioned me to drive the horses out into an opening. I did so and he began counting them. Suddenly, he broke away on a run through the woods, without so much as saying "good bye," or with your per- mission." I was displeased with his uncivility, and (with a vivid recollection of those little red devils who kept pointing their guns at me) I struck out full tilt after him. Away we went, pell mell, through the thickets, brush and boughs, scratching my face, tear- ing my clothes, and knocking me around generally. I kept close to him, and just as I began to doubt his sanity, and to wonder "what in the thunder is up, and where is he going to?" we rode out into an opening where there were a number of loose horses, and he stopped. He had not heard me following him, and happening to look around and see me, he laid his head back on his shoulders and gave one of the most self-gratifying laughs I ever heard. It was a little louder and longer than the solem- nity of the occasion required I thought, and I began to think that we had struck the jolliest band that ever cut a throat. He ceased laughing after a time, and looking at me with one of his most significant winks that blended coquetishly wnth the archness of his smile said :
" You heap stay, heap stay!"
"Yes heap stay; heap stay me. You bet ; plenty T''
"All right. Drive'm horses. My horses!" pointing to the horses in front of us.
Again I fell to work, making myself more than useful. We were still among the Indians and it seemed to me that the whole countrywas alive with them and ponies. I drove some ponies up the trail a little ways and then came back to the horses which he had counted by this time.
We had gone some distance when a large Indian rode up be-, hind us, whom I guessed was another chief, and to whom my "boss" began to laughingly relate the particulars of our trip hroughthe woods, concluding with the remark, "him heap
80
stay." The large chief kept his eyes on me, and during the time I think I never threw my whole soul into a work more com- pletely, than I did this . I know I was much busier than any body else. They must have thought I liked it.
I could see the two talking together as they rode side by side and saw my " boss" make the sign of the cross and point towards me. This apparently satisfied the big chief, as he rode up to me and said:
" How ?"
"How?" I replied.
" How far Yellowstone''" he asked:
" Fifteen miles; maybe more. F'ifteen or sixteen miles.''
" You take pack horse. Lead'm."
AN INTRODUCTION.
Pointing towards a squaw who was leading both a pack mule and a horse, he continued:
" My squaw. You lead'm pack ^mule." Saying "all right," I rode up to the squaw and she handed me the mule's rope. I started ahead but the mule seemed to think I did not travel fast enough, and made a break to get by me but I crowded him oft' the trail. Again he started to pass me and made a dash between two trees and stuck fast. He struggled and twisted but could get neither backwards nor forwards, the pack holding him tight. This produced a good deal of merriment among the squaws, and pointing at me, they kept saying, "Heap squaw, heap scpiavv. No good."
This riled me, and getting off" my horse, I brought that mule such a welt across the nose with the end of the rope that he sat right down backwards and turned clear over, leaving the packs between the trees. ^
The two chiefs rode up and with the help of the squaw placed the pack upon the mule again. They insinuated . that I had not better try that again, gave me the halter and we started ahead.
A mile farther brought us to the top of the divide, where Sa- tan was burning brimstone and pumping steam with such infer-
nal jngenuity. One of the chiefs rode back to where I was and pointing to a small fissure in the ground beneath our horses from which the steam was escaping, asked: " What jnake'm steam?"
" Heap fire down under the ground," 1 repHed, and motioned for him to pick up a piece of the hot suhphur lying loose about the fissure. He sprang from his horse and picked up a piece and began a critical examination of it. I told him to smell it. He p'aced it to his nostrils, gave a good snuft' and dropped it with a look of disgust, (it was the first time 1 ever knew an Indian to be disgusted with a smell.)
"Ugh!" he said "No good, no good. What make^ii?" " Fire down below," I answered.
'• Down there?" he asked, stamping the giound which gave forth a hollow sound.
'"• Heap fire down there," 1 said.
He jumped for his horse and with "No good, mc go," struck out as hard as he could go; It was not merely a spirit of mis- chief that would have prompted me to have freely given five years of my life to have seen him drop through for a fczc min- utes.
iVs we began the descent of the mountains the trail was much better and we moved ahead at a more rapid gait. It soon began to grow dark, and soon afterwards the sky became overcast with heavy clouds and it grew quite dark. The Indians kept asking how tar it was to the Yellowstone, although we had yet some nine or ten miles to go. They seemingly had no idea of distance. We passed the place where we had camped on Mondav and about two miles beyond and came to the creek where Arnold caught the liltle trout. Every thing that we had seen on our wav to the Falls I noted now^ as we passed, and each incident, how- ever small, was again recalled
Crossing this creek we soon came to another small creek where I asked the chief if I could get some water. He told me to get oflf and drink. I alighted and lay down to drink, still holding th§ halters of mv horse and mule. The chief rgde on and left m^i
82
Here was my chance to escape. By crawling a few feet I could have lain down in the creek beneath the bank and waited for the Indians to have passed. There was no probability of their seeing me, as it was .quite dark. All this passed through my mind while drinking, but as I thought oi Emma and Ida, and the anguish tliey would suffer if I left them without their knowing what had become of me, I determined to remain. Rising, I mounted my liorse and again started after my chief whom I soon overtook. i\s I rode up, he turned and said:
•'Hello! no go much further."
He was evidently surprised to see me, and I concluded that he had purposely given me the chance to escape as he had done in the woods.
Ascending a little hill in the trail we could see ahead of us, what would have been, under any other circumstances, a beauti- ful scene. The Indians had encamped on the outer edge of a circular basin about three-fourths of a mile in circumference, and were building their camp fires about every twenty or thirty feet apart. The ponies, a thousand or more, were in the basin encir- cled b}^ the fires. Others were constantly coming and we could hear their "yip, yip," as they drove the ponies in for unpacking. At any other time it would have certainly been picturesque.
I had lost sight of the chief who had saved my life and had been traveling Vv'ith the other chief and his squaw until we came to the camp. As we entered I saw a group of squaws and In- dians near us towards whom we rode and stopped. The chief said something to them and motioned me to dismount and un- pack the mule, which I did immediately with the best of grace. Having removed the pack, the Indian took the horse and mule,, and motioned me to sit down on the j^ack. As yet I had seen nothing of the girls coming into camp, although I kept watching the surrounding camp fires constantly, in hopes they would pavSS before them rmd thus reveal their whereabouts. Poor Ida! I had not seen her during the day, and I knew she must be sufler-. ing intensely, among the Indians somewhere near us.
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INDIAN CAMP LIFE.
My chief now came back and touching me on the shoulder, said:
" Come, get'm wood."
I arose and followed him to the timber and began gathering sticks, etc., and having secured an armful, returned to camp. A squaw standing by, said to me: " Mak'm fire."
She handed me a match and I soon had a good fire burning. The chief now told me to get some water, and as I did not know which way to go, he pointed across the encampment. I said "all right," and he gave me a coffee pot and a brass kettle in wdiich to carry it. I started, but he shouted: " Here, where you go?" " Get water," I replied.
"You no go that way. Injuns kill," and he pointed to the Indians passing back and forth in the camp. Turning to another Indian lying near on the ground, he said something in the moth- er tongue. The Indian addressed, got up and came to us, when I saw that it was the chief that had saved my life. He came to me and partially removing his blanket, he placed the loose end around me, intending to go with me thus, after the manner of school girls. He held the blanket in this position with his left arm about my neck, but as I was opposed to such flimiliarity on so slight an acquaintance, I undid his affectionate clasp and got outside of the blanket. He said :
" No go that way, Injun kill sure," and removing the blanket from himself said :
" Here, you play Injun. Injun see'm you white man, kill you sure," and he wrapped the blanket around me.
"You Injun now," he said, "no kill now. Me go too," and taking the brass kettle from me, we started. He told me to keep the blanket over my head "like Injun," and we traveled ahead much after the manner of the illustrious ex-president of the ex- confederacy when he didn't escape. Notwithstanding the fact
84
of my keeping the blanket closely pulled about my face, I never- theless kept a sharp lookout for my sisters. As we were dipping up the water I asked the chief where the white girls were, and he said:
" Little white girl, she over there some where with Injun. Big white girl, she no come. Me no see'm. She come maybe, bye'm-bye."
We started for camp now, and as I could not get the Indian style of walking, the Indians that we passed looked at me pretty closely. My chief, though, kept his eyes open for mischief. We got back safe, and having deposited the water by the camp fire, I gave the blanket a toss on the ground. The odor was any thing but pleasant. The young chief seeuig the action came and picked the blanket up, and handing it to ine again, said:
" Put'm on blanket. Injun come pretty soon. Maybe kill you. Put'm on blanket and sit down there," pointing for me to be seated some distance from the fire, in order that the bright light might not reveal my presence.
Seeing Indians coming across the encampment, I followed his advice rather lively. From my position I had full view of the whole camp, and could see the squaws busily engaged in getting supper, while the noble red man lounged upon the grass. This kmd of camp life was new to me, and had it not been for my anxiety for my sisters, I could have enjoyed it. To an observer under other circumstances, it would have been interesting, as it was, I took but little notice of what transpired around, being con- stantly on the alert to catch a glimpse of the girls.
As I sat there thinking of the events of the day, of the death of the boys whom I knew so well and regarded so highly, of the terrible fate of my sisters, and the inevitable death, as I supposed, in store for me, it all seemed more like a horrible dream than a reality. If there was any moment during all our trials that I gave way to human weakness, it was when I thought of our happiness of the night before when we were all together, full of bright anticipations of a pleasant journey home, and com- pared it with our present position. Then so full of life,,now,>
85
six of the boys lying, mangled in the woods, cold in death. I thought, too, of the pleasant home circle. They, having heard of the Indian war, would certainl}' be solicitous as to our welfare. They would hear of our tragic fate, but what a horrible revela- tion would our bleaching bones make.
As I sat brooding over our fate, I heard the tread of an ap- proaching pony, and on looking up I saw Emma being helped from its back. I sprang to my feet and as she came towards the fire I advanced to meet her. I extended my hand but she stepped back quickly. Throwing the blanket aside I said:
'*EMMA, DON'T YOU KNOW ME?"
" O, God, Frank, is that you ?"
I will not record the events of the next half hour. I only pray, reader, that you may ever be spared my experience during that time.
The Indians having supper now ready, one ot them approacli- ed us and said :
" Supper, come."
Emma declined to go, and I motioned the Indian that we want- ed nothing; he then told us to come near the camp fire and sit down there. We did so, and in talking of the events of the day, Emma asked if it was not possible to get Ida over where we were. I told her I did not think we could, but turning to one of the Indians near us I asked if "little white girl come over here?"
He said :
"No. Other Injuns goi'm little white girl. Looking Glass Injun got'm."
" Whose prisoners are we?"
"Joseph's Injuns got'm you. White Bird's Injuns got'm her," pointing to Emma.
The Indians had now finished their supper and were squatting around the camp fire talking. One of the squaws again came up to Emma and asked her to eat.
Emma told her she wished nothing only some water. The
squaw brought it. Emma drank some of it, and bathed her face and hands in the rest, after which she felt better.
My chief came to me and pointing to an Indian sitting close by me, said :
" Him Joseph."
Joseph hearing him, turned partly around towards me. I said :
"Joseph!" and extended my hand. I He grasped it and gave it a shake. I asked:
"Friend?"
" Citizens friend," he replied.
I turned towards Emma, and said;
" My sister."
He extended his hand to Emma and said:
" You sister?"
" My sister stay with me?" I asked.
" Yes, you sister?"
" Yes."
" Yes, you sister. She stay here. You stay here. Stay in m}^ lodge. Joseph's lodge. My house; Joseph's house. You sister, 3'ou, stay here all night."
As we were talking I noted carefully ever}^ feature of CHIEF JOSEPH, and suppose that he is a man about iorty or forty-five years of age. He is about six feet high, broad shoulders, and of pow- erful fhysique. He is, also, intellectually well developed. Ha has a high forehead, a straight prominent nose, high cheek bones, and when he speaks he sets his lips together w^ith a firmness that showed he meant what he said. He talked but little, but I noticed that when he spoke to an Indian, there was no hesitancy about obeying him. His son was pointed out to me, but I could see no traces of his father's qualities there. He was a careless, reckless, sort of a fellow, laughing and jabbering away with some of the young squaws. His father spoke to him once, when he arose quickly, without a word, jumped upon his horse, and was away in the darkness in a moment.
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Shortly after my conversation with Joseph, one of the Indians came over to him and began talking-. I could see by the gestures, of which their language is principally composed, that he was tell- ing him of the troubles of the day. Joseph listened for a moment, then with a motion of disgust got up and went over where his squaw and grown up daughter .were. He was evidently dis- pleased with the actions of the Indians, in the shooting of our party.
The Indians now had nearly all arrived in camp, and.we soon heard White Bird, or Joe, going his rounds again, and harangu- ing the Indians as he went, as at noon. He came near us, hut not to the camp. He, it seemed, looked out for the camp regu- lations, such as appointing j^ickets, taking charge of prisoners, etc. I afterwards learned that Joseph and his band, and Looking Glass with his band, did the princij^al fighting.
Emma had now stopped crying, and we all sat around the fire. 1 could see the squaws frequently looking at Emma and pointmg to her as they talked. A papoose was lying on a blanket near the fire, kicking away, in happy ignorance of what a mean little devil it was bound to make. I told Emma to take it up. Look- ing at me for a moment, she says :
" Me take that thing? I won't do it! I'd sooner die than take the nasty thing up!"
"That's all right on principle, Emmaybutyou take that papoose up. We are playing for our lives now."
Emma then motioned for a squaw to hand her the jiapoose, which she good-naturedly did, smiling and laughing as she placed it upon her lap. Emma immediately proceeded to wipe its nose, a no little job, rest assured. I saw this took with the squaws, and it certainly made an impresson upon them, so it did upon Emma, but with rather an opposite effect. As for myself, I know I could have sat down on that young one and smothered it, with^a good deal of relish. Keeping the child but a few mo- ments, Emma passed it back to one of the squaws, who again placed it on the blanket.
It was now getting late, and the Indians began to make down
88
their beds for the night. My chief and squaw made a nice bed for Emma and myself, of buffalo robes and furs, over which they spread a nice deer skin. They then motioned for us to come and lie down.
Telling Emma to cross herself, and how it had saved my life, we knelt together, and I know we both prayed fervently, if it was silently. The Indians were closely watching us the mean- while. Having finished our prayers, we agani crossed ourselves and lay. dow^n, and the Indians covered us with blankets and robes. They then made their beds around us m the form of a semicircle.
We covered our heads, and Emma again began crying and re- lating the particulars of the day's horrors.
She again gave me the particulars of the killing of her husband, and as she spoke of the Indian throwing the rock upon Cowan's head, it was all I could do to hold her. The shock had well-nigh crazed her. I did all I could to recall her mind from contemplat- ing the horrors of the scene, but with no avail. She kept saying: " O, Frank, if they had not crushed his head with the stone. The blood spattered all around. O, Frank, it was horrible," and agam she woukl spring up. I kept my arms clasped tightly about her, and it was a continual struggle with her all night long. The scene of the killing of Cowan was constantly before her, and as she thought of how he had died, begging for water, she would almost go into convulsions. I think no person could suffer more than she did then. My God! what a horrible night it was to me, too. Mow I longed for the welcome light of day.
Once during the night she became quiet for a time, and my chief, supposing we were asleep, came over to our bed, and kneel- ing down, slipped his hand beneath the robes and placed it upon my face. I grasped his hand, threw the cover from my face and asked him what he wanted..
" You sleep?"
" No sleep," I answered.
" You sister sleep?"
" No sleep," I said again.
89
Me save you, you sister. Me send sister down river to- rrow."
Emma and myself had risen to a sitting posture when he had first spoken, and thanking him, and again crossing ourselves, we lay down.
Shortly it began to sprinkle when the chief and his squaw got up and getting a large wagon cover, spread it over us and tucked it in around us.
In about an hour after this, we heard one of the most mournful sounds that I ever heard. Emma started up and said:
" What is that?''
I listened for a moment, and told her:
" It is one of the Indians chanting for their dead."
We listened for a time, when it ceased. Those who have heard the death chant, know how mournful and weird it is, even un- der ordinary circumstances. But coming to us then it was inex- pressibly doleful. It chdled to the marrow.
DAYLIGHT CAME AT LAST,
and at the first movement among the Indians we sat up. The Indians were soon astir, building camp fires and getting breakfast. As the day grows brighter we can see the Indians who were on picket coming in, and others going out to take their places. On looking to the south-east part of the camp we can see W hite Bird's camp, but can see nothing of Ida.
As w^e were looking in that direction, we saw an Indian ride suddenly out of the timber back of Joe's camp and come charg- ing down through camp on a full run. He urges his horse to the utmost speed and passes us like a shot. As he passes, Emma ex- claims:
"Look, Frank, he is riding Al.'s horse!"
She was right. It was Oldham's roan horse. Old Ranger, as Al. used to call him. The horse was a very fleet one, and I re- marked to Emma if we only had two such horses as Old Rang- er, we could leave our present company w^ith little trouble. The sight of the horse again started Emma to crying. . 9
90
The Indians came to us and wanted us to eat breakfast. Em- ma would eat nothing, but I nnally prevailed .upon her to take a little coffee. I sat down with them, and they gave me a spoon with a motion that told me to help myself. The meal consisted of nothing but a large dish pan full of cam mas root cooked up like hominy, around which all gathered. It may be surmised that I hadn't a very hearty appetite, yet I concluded to make myself agreeable at any cost. 1 tasted thecammas root and think that it could be made palatable if properly cooked, but, as much as I dislike to comment upon the fire of my hostess, a love of truth compels me to admit that I have partaken of other meals with a greater relish. It looked like hominy, but the dirtiest hominy I ever saw, was clean compared with this. Grease, sticks, gravel stones, in short, dirt of all kinds almost, was here " lumped." I have heard oi -A sandy desert; here I ate a sandy dessert. It was food fit for an ostrich. Even Din gee could not have stom- ached it. I would commend it as a diet for Gen. Howard; he would then have more "sand in his gizzard." Not being hungry I took but a taste. The Indians then gave me a small piece of bread which I ate, and they then gave me some willow-bark tea in a tin cup, which I drank. The tea tasted well, but was rather sickening. I noticed they sweetened the water before adding the bark. The repast being finished, I crossed myself and rejoined Emma.
The sun was now up and as it threw its rays upon the tops of the surrounding mountains that were bright with the tinted leaves of early autumn, the scene w^as worthy an artist's brush. Every- thing seemed so calm and peaceful, I could scarcely realize the situation in which we were placed, Emma had changed so in appearance that one could not have recognized her as the cheer- ful, happy girl of twenty-four hours before. This was her first great sorrow, and it had made sad havoc of her youthful looks. The death of Cowan, under ordinary circumstances, would have crushed her, but to be a witness to his horrible fate was killing her. The day, too, the twenty -fourth of August, -ivas the second anniversary of her wedding day !
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Again Joe made the rounds of the camp, cautioning the Indians to be on their guard. As he came near our camp and ?;a^^' Em- ma and myself, he rode up to us and said :
"Hello!"
" Hello, Joe."
He looked at us for a moment, then motioned for me to come to him. I did so when he asked:
" You prisoner?"
" Yes," I answered.
" You sister prisoner too?"
" Yes," I replied.
" How many you party gone?" he asked.
" Seven," I said.
" No, SIX," said he. " How many in party?"
" Ten."
" Nme in you party, six gone."
I explained that Harmon was not of our party but had joinod us in the basin. He then asked me about the sliootmg of Cowan and Arnold. I told him all I knew, when he said:
" Too bad. Me tell Injun to let you party go home. G — d
d n Nez Perce. No good. They go back kill'm you frien<l.
Me telPm no kill. G — d d n Nez Perce. No good!"
I then asked him about the little white girl. He said :
'' Me no see'm her. She down there somewhere," pointing across the encampment. I asked if I could see her.
" Don't know," he said, " me see."
He then called Mrs. Cowan up, to whom he said "good morn- ing." Mrs. Cowan returned the salutation, and he said something about the shooting of Cowan. He motioned us to go back, say- ing that he w^ould come again " bye'm-bye." He conversed with the Indians a ^vhile, then started on his round again, haranguing them as before.
The Indians were now getting up their horses preparatorv to moving on, and while thus engaged, Joe came back. Riding up to my chief he leaned over towards him and began talking in an
92
undertone. As he talked I saw him point to me and I understood him to say :
KILL'M HIM TO-DAY. NO WANT'M HIM.
I sprang to my feet and went to wiiere they were talking. I crossed myself and asked :
"Joe, you kilPm me?"
He said nothing, but looked at me with inhuman deviltry pict- ured in every lineament of his face.
I continued :
"Joe, you kill me to-da}^; me no care. But, Joe, let me tell you, no kill white girls. Me tell you, now, no kill! Got'm heap friends; heap friends. Live twelve years in Montana. Everybody know'm white girls. Joe, promise me you no kilPm white girls. Me tell you, now, no kilVm.. Citizens come. Got'm heap friends, w^hite girls."
For a half hour I begged and prayed for the life of my sisters. How earnestly I can not tell. You, kind reader, can only im- agine.
During the time I could see nothing but stolid indifference, in hio face. Not a look of sympathy, nothing but innate develish- ness could I see there. He finally turned to me and said:
" Me send you sisters home down Yellowstone river. Me give'm two white girls one pack horse, send'm down river, Yel- lowstone river."
"Alone?"! asked.
" Yes," he answers, '■Hhcy go alone P"*
" Jf)c, no send'm white girls alone. No find'm trail down riv- er. White girls get lost. No go that way."
He then said he would " send Injun with them," which would have been a thousand times worse than alone.
" No, no! No send Injun," I said.
" Well, me sec, me sec," he replied.
I told hnn as regards myself, I did not care. He could do as he pleased. He said:
" Well, my friend, me see."
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He now turned to go away, but I stopped him and again asked him what he was going to do with the girls.
He rephed:
'' Me don't know."
I then told him to take the girls to his camp and keep them there until they came to a white settlement or wliite persons, and to keep them with him always^ and not let the other Indians get them. He promised to do so. *
I said:
"Joe, you promise me?"
" Yes, my friend. You sister, my sister now. Me no kill'm you sister. Me take'm my camp, me keep'm. Bye'm-bye me give'm white friends. INIe take'm my lodge. You sister, my sister."
Crossing myself, I told Joe to do the same, and said:
'•Joe, you promise me," and crossed myself.
" Yes, me promise," and he crossed himself.
He told me to tell Emma to get up and come to him. She did so and he told her she was to come with him. Emma turned to me and asked me what they were going to do with us. I told her as briefly as I could the conversation we had had, and told her to stay In Joe's camp until liberated; never, under any circum- stances whatever, to leave it, until she could do so w^itli safety. I told her, also, if she and Ida undertook to escape and got away, to follow the trail down the Yellowstone, and they would come out all light.
I now bade her good-bye for, as I supposed, the last time. I had, then, no more expectation of ever seeing her again, than I have of dying before finishing this book. Of the next half-hour I will not write. Death, which I supposed inevitable, had no terrors for me, but the fate of my sisters, a thousand times worse than death, unmanned me. I had no idea that Joe would fulfill a promise. I would have willingly died to know that Emma and Ida were dead; yes, a thousand deaths, rather than that they should be subjected to such a fate — ^a squaw's life.
Joe now motioned for Emma to get upon the horse he was rid-
94
ing, Cowan's horse. He lifted her to a place behind him and rode off.
I presume I got reckless now, and it may be I was rather im- prudent, if not saucy. I saw my chief was looking at me, and I went to him and said:
" 1 Vv-ant to see the little white girl over there."
" No see'm," he replied.
"Yes; let me see'm lit1||p white girl. You kill me to-day. I no care. Let me see little white girl."
" No see'm. She go' now pretty soon," meaning that she would go with the Indians which was about to move.
This made me mad, now, and I rather hotly said :
" Nez Perces Indians no good. Kill'm my friends; take'm white woman prisoner. No good. Me no fight. Got no gun. Nez Perces cowards. Shoot my friends like dogs. No good."
The chief continued smoking, and all the answer I got was a quiet smile, and,
" You go get'm you horse."
Handing me a rope, he said :
" He go with you," pointing to the young chief, who had be- friended me the day before.
We started, and with the assistance of a couple of squaws, we soon had the horses of this outfit, some fifteen in number, in an opening by themselves. We, with some other Indians, surround- ed them, standing about six feet apart. The " bucks " began las- soing such as they wanted to use during the day, and soon had caught all that they wished, except the horse of the chief— a large black horse, of unusual beauty and spirit — and the one he had ridden the day before. They soon caught the one I had ridden, and they told me to put a rope on him, which I did, and was about to lead him away, when one of the Indians told me to stop and help catch the chief's horse.
They made several unsuccessful attempts to lasso him, and he broke through the circle by me several times, as I was holding my horse and could not stop hmi. E-ach time he would pass, the
95
Indian next me would throw the lasso but miss him, and then we would have to all go and drive him baek into the opening.
I asked the Indian next me to give me his lasso and I would " catch'm horse," whieh caused no little laughter. He gave me the lasso, however, and I took it, trusting to luck. I knew I could not do worse than what they had done, and sometimes luck succeeds where science fails. I knew how it should be thrown, and that, as Dingee asserted about sailing the boat, was assurance that I could do it.
The horse made a break to pass me, and, as he went by me, I threw the lasso over his head as neatly as it was ever done. Luck succeeded. As he reached the end of the rope I brought him up with a sudden jerk that certainly must have made him see stars. The Indians came around and said :
" Heap good. Hi yu skook'^uin. Heap good white man."
It was a " feather in my cap," that I tried to wear modestly, but I will admit to you, reader, confidentially, that I felt two inches taller than I did before. Fortunately there were no more horses to catch, as probably I could not have done the like again with a dozen trials.
The Indians were now stringing out over the hills to the Yel- lowstone, and as I looked I saw Ida and Emma. Ida had a white handkerchief tied over her head, but Emma still retained her hat. I saw Shrively, too, more than a mile away, in the file of Indians. I mentally bid them fiirewell, as I rode in among the Indians.
We had returned to camp with the horses, and they began packing up. I presume I was never busier in all my life than I was just then. The way I did throw those old traps together was astonishing. It may be inferred that I was nervous, too. I knew my fate had been decided, and I never expected to leave that camp, and when my chief came to me and said, " You get'm on horse," I got on that horse in a hurry, j/o?<; bet. He motioned me to take the mule and lead it as I had done before, and I im- mediately fell in love with that mule and all the appertenanccs thereunto pertaining. I cannot say I like work, but I know I was
96
never so anxious to do something useful in ail my life. I would have willingly worked for nothing and boarded myself.
We were about the last to fall into line, and as we advanced we met warriors going back over the trail we had come the day be- fore. I thought then if any of the boys had been, so fortunate as to get away it was all up with them now.
I was riding along by the side of the chief's squaw, not having seen him since we started, when, on looking up, I saw him com- ing back. He came up and we stopped. The squaw said some- thing to him, and he came on until within ten feet of me. The Indians near us had stopped, also, and were watching us. He re- moved his gun — a needle carbine — from his belt, flipped up the catch, took a cartridge and quietly slipped it into the gun, I fully understood the action; my time /I'ad come. I asked God to have mercy on my soul. I was ready. I think that no man fears to die when he knows that death is inevitable. I know that I did not, but the mental torture of the last twenty-four hours had made death welcome. Its near approach was a relief.
The chief took his gun in his hand, ready to raise it, and then looked me squarely in the eyes for perhaps two minutes ; it seemed that long to me, at least. I returned his look without flinching. No white man would flinch at such a time. Not a motion was visible in the group by which we were surrounded; not a syllable w^as uttered. He raised the gun, dropped it, and said :
" ME NO KILL'M YOU."
Me go kllVm elk nozvP My life was spared. What did it? I know that he meant to kill me. Every motion and look, both of his and the surrounding Indians, convinced me of this. He said further:
" Me tell you no go. No try to get'm way. Injun kilTm, you go. Me tell you now, you stay with scpiaw. You lead'm mule. Mc going to kilPm elk now. Me tell you, no go."
Pointing over tlie valley on the trail, I saitl :
" Me no go. You see'm white girls. Me stay with white girls. Me no go, you bct.^''
97
Reader, this conversation may not interest you much, but to me it was the most intensely interesting httle talk of my life. It has lost its charm ; at least I do not care for a rej^etition.
It was at least three minutes before I could make myself be- lieve that I was still alive. It took that long, if not longer, for my heart to leave my throat.
The chief took his snaky eyes from my face, and, saying some- thing to the squaw, started off the trail to the timber. We again moved ahead, and as we rode along the Indians would point their fingers at me and say :
" Heap good, you. Heap squaw, you. Heap squaw.."" I took their gibes in good part, as I could not help myself. As we rode along I saw many things that were su^Dremely lu- dicrous, and they have been the cause of much merriment to Emma and myself since. I did not see anything very funny in it then. There is one thini?- thou^^h I cannot well forc^et. It was this :
About two miles from the scene, the pardcuLirs of v/hich I have just related, we saw an Indian riding slowly along and try- ing to decorate himself with five yards of mosquito bar that he had stolen from our wagon. He would pass it over his shoulder, then around his waist, but there was more of it than he could manage. He would try it one way, then another, but with no satisfactory result. He was too fitstidious. Again he would trv, look at himself, and again remove it. It did not suit. Finally he stopped his horse, and sprang ofl:' with a motion that was the very essence of disgust, and, passing behind his horse, tied one end of it to the horse's tail. He viewed it with satisfaction. ^Mounting his horse he started ahead along the column as fast as he could go, with the mosquito bar streaming out behind. The Indians seemed to enjoy the sport, and as. he passed they each gave him an encouraging shout. It was fun for the Indian but hard upon the horse.
As we rode along, the squaw I was v/ith stopped her pony and got ofifto fix the pack on the kyuse she was leading, and climbed back on. She did this twice. The next time she made a move
98
to dismount, I told her to sit still and I would fix the pack, and dismounted. This amused her considerably; I presume it was the first attention ever shown her. I arranged the pack, and po- litely raised my hat. She laughed outright. I remounted, and every time that the pack needed adjusting I w^ould jump down and put it to rights, with the greatest politeness. I was more than polite.
I was dressed lightly, wearing nothing but a blue drilling blouse, light overalls and my underclothing, and as the wind arose on nearing the Yellowstone, I was uncomfortably cool. The wind continued to rise, and I grew correspondingly cooler. Looking around I saw a big greasy Indian with my overcoat comfortably buttoned about him. It made me mad. It was a good coat ; a large blanket overcoat that I had slept in during the trip; but it wasn't the value of the coat that roiled me. It was the principle involved. As he rode up I said :
" Heap eoat "
" Yes, heap coat. Heap warm," and he wrapped it more tight- ly around him. How I did want to reach out and snatch that Indian out of that coat. He, the dirty thief, riding along so com- fortably ni my coat, and I chilled through.
We soon could see the Yellowstone about a half mile below us. We soon passed Mud Geyser and the Devil's Well. Near- the river we came to a group of Indians surrounding a white man. The Indian with my coat, said to me;
" Who white man?"
" I don't know," I answered.
" Come with me," he said, and we rode up to where they were.
" Hallo," says the white man, " arc you a prisoner too?"
" Yes, are you?" I asked.
" No, the Indians turned me loose," he replied.
He then began telling me of tbe Helena party, another party of young men on their way to the geysers, who were encamped six or eight miles below, but I gave him a wink and he stopped. The Indian with me turned and asked me what I had said. I
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told hini nothing. lie then asked the other white man what I had said; he replied, nothing. The Indian now got pretty warm, and whn-Hng around and facing me, angrily asked :
'^ What you tell him?"
" Nothing!" I said, about as loudly as he asked.
My squaw, so to speak, as I was her property, now said to me, "come," and I followed her. As we rode away I heard the white man say to the Indian that he was going, as White Bird had
turned him loose, and told him to go home. The next I saw of him he was fording the river in charge of the Indian.
We crossec' the river and found that the Indians were orolnsr into camp for noon near the fording. We were passing through the camp, when I saw Emma and Ida about sevent3^-five yards distant from us. The girls were looking forlorn. Ida happened to look up, and saw me. She jumped to her feet and ran towards me, hallooing.
" Frank, I want to see you, hold on. O Frank, I want to see you."
I told her to go back and I would see her soon. She had reached the side of my horse and kept begging for me to stop, but I was compelled to go on. I called tor Emma to come out and take her back to camp, which she did.
We went on some distance farther when the squaw stopped, sprang from her pony and motioned me to do the same. I clis- mounted v.nd removing the packs, turned the mule and horses loose.
The squaw then gave me a v>^ooden pail and told me to go and get some water. I started for the river, about three hundred yards distant, and as I passed along the Indians raised their guns at me several times. I was more than nervous. On arriving at the river bank, I had to pass through a group of Indians standing there, but seeing no other chance to get down, pushed them aside and got the water. It was a delicate business for me, but they did not offer to molest me.
As I returned the Indians kept pointing at me and saying,
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" heap squaw; heap squaw. '^ I did not care so long as they only kept their tongues going. I could stand that.
Arriving at camp, the squaw asked me if I could cook,
"Yes," I replied.
" Cook'm bread," she said pointing to some flour and a pan.
I took the pan and put several cups flour in. Seeing some saleratus in a paper, I asked her if I should put some of that in, and she told me to do so. I put in about one and a half table- spoonfuls and began mixing it with the flour. I stirred away until she said :
" Make'm bread. Put'm in water. Make'm bread."
I put in some cold water and stirred it again, then added some hot water to make a pretty stiff dough. I then made up six round loaves and put them in an old frying pan in which I baked them, the squaw watching me closely all the time. The bread was soon baked, and it was a good rich color, that is if yellow is a rich color.
The squaw had not been sitting idle but had made some wil- low tea and fried a little bit of bacon. She then turned to the Indians and told them that dinner was ready. At least I sup- posed she did, as they came crowding around for their rations. They still kept pointing their fingers at me and saying, " heap .squaw."
As they were about to sit down, an Indian came tearing. over the hill and into camp at a fearful rate, shouting as he came. The Indians sprang to their feet and the camp was soon in the wildest commotion; Indians running here and there, shouting, getting up their ponies and starting on a run across the river. I got up beside a tree to see what was wrong, until I heard one Indian say "soldiers, soldiers." I would have given ten years 6f my life to have seen three or four liundred soldiers come march- ing over the hill then. Seeing that the Indians took the back trail on the other side ot the river, and that the squaws remained in camj^, I knew that the warriors were going to meet How- ard's troops.
Soon the excitement subs,i;ded and I found that all the "bucks"
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had gone except seven or eight chiefs and about twenty-five warriors.
The squaws motioned for me to sit down and eat, which I did, eating sparringly of the bread and drinking a httle of the tea.
About half an hour after we, had eaten, our chief came bade h*om his elk hunt. He rode up and says:
"Hello?"
I jumped up and pointnig to the hind quarters of a deer which he had on his horse behind him, asked:
"Catch'm?"
" Yes, catch'm deer," he answered.
His squaw now came and took the meat, and turning- to me, said :
" Cook'm more bread."
I went through the process of bread making, and the squaw placed the meat in a couple of pots and placed it on the fire. She let it remain about long enough to get it warmed through, when she removed it and the chief, another Indian, and herself sat down to eat. Then followed one of the greatest gastronomic feats I had ever witnessed. They ate the hind quarters of the deer, five loaves of bread, a half pan