38 ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



CHAPTER III. 



CROSSING THE PLAINS Enroute for old Fort Kearney Allen elected general 

 horse thieves organization and discipline life in camp Indian camps 

 seen double guards put out personnel of company first sight of the 

 Rockies on Mount Zion wild country first deer hunt Grizzly Bill- 

 grouse Powder River fishing at old Fort Kearney the Fetterman 

 massacre. 



We started once more for Red Water Crossing, led by 

 Colonel Beard, of Nebraska, a brave, unselfish man, a splen- 

 did looking fellow, six feet three inches in height. At 

 this crossing a part of our train had a short skirmish with 

 Indians, and five of our men were killed. The country was 

 all alive with the savages. Each day brought us news 

 of fresh massacres. We stayed at the crossing one day to 

 discuss and decide upon the best means of checkmating the 

 enemy, who threatened to be a terrible peril to us. A dis- 

 pute arose among the men, and, as some would not listen 

 to reason, Colonel Beard resigned the command. One after 

 another was selected to fill the vacancy, but all shrank from 

 the responsibility. Death lurked on every hand. Some of 

 our own men, by reason of their insubordination, threatened 

 to become troublesome. The situation was a perilous one, 

 any one assuming charge of the train would have a great re- 

 sponsibility on his shoulders. 



At this point John Wustun mounted an old wagon and 

 called the attention of the crowd. "We are in a dangerous 

 country," he said, " and there are twenty men here who 



