442 



recreation: 



rocks and briers, we suddenly emerged on 

 the banks of a mountain stream. 



Camp was made here, and although the 

 trail was found in the morning we did not 

 come up with the command that day nor 

 the next. Our provisions ran low, and 

 through hunger and fatigue from continu- 

 ous hard marching, we suffered consider- 

 ably before the command was overtaken on 

 the fourth day. A cordial greeting and rich 

 entertainment awaited us. 



It was not till long after that we knew 

 the kindly colonel and genial adjutant 

 had saved, for 2 days, the peaches which 

 graced the board. Soon after our arrival 

 the rest of the command joined, and early 

 on the following day the line of march was 

 taken up Elk creek. 



Now we were to take an unknown trail 

 which white man never before had trod and 

 where we might at any moment meet with 

 the enemy. There were vague rumors of 

 a 7-peaked mountain, of a 7-forked stream, 

 impassable canyons and slide rock without 

 limit. All these we found, and more. 



The scouts sent ahead found the trail 

 nearly impassable, but were assured that the 

 rolling off of a mule or two was not to be 

 heeded, so pushed on. Night found us near 

 the summit and camp was made close by an 

 Alpine lake. 



Old Indian trails were found and for the 

 most part followed. It was evident that 

 there were usually two over the same route, 

 one being a high-water and the other a low- 

 water trail. Often along the line of march 

 there would be found rocks piled up with 

 loop-holes, affording protection to defend- 

 ers of the trail. 



The next day led us along ridges, across 

 valleys, swept by winter avalanches from 

 the mountain side, and piled in inextricable 

 confusion. Slide rock or rock avalanches 

 had to be crossed where each footstep of 

 predecessor was obliterated as fast as made, 

 and night found us ready for the bivouac. 



So on day by day till signs of the Indians 

 added to our ever increasing watchfulness. 

 Fires were not lighted before dark and then 

 in some nook where they were concealed as 

 much as possible. They were extinguished 

 before day, that no smoke might betray our 

 approach; game, although abundant and 

 marvelously tame, went undisturbed. 



Reaching Big creek, where the last expe- 

 dition had come to grief, we halted for a 

 short rest. The blacksmith was looking at 

 the horses and making a shoe tight here and 

 there, when the sound of a distant rifle 

 reached us. " Boots and saddles " was 

 sounded, then the " trot," and the echo of a 

 scattering shot now and then reached our 

 ears and spurred us to greater effort. Down 

 the valley, through chapparal where the 

 ardent yellow jacket gave a warm recep- 

 tion, over boulders, and finally up a steep 

 mountain to a bench, where we found the 

 scouts had routed the Sheep Eaters. 



They had disappeared among the rocks, 

 leaving a rich cache of dressed skins, furs, 

 dried marmot feet, dried salmon and salmon 

 eggs, and great stores of service berries. 

 No casualties attended this skirmish, and, 

 the Indians being scattered, the main por- 

 tion of the command went into camp for 

 the rest of the day and night. 



After dividing the booty, the scouts 

 moved on in search of the trail of the fugi- 

 tives, who had a small herd of ponies and 

 some women and children, so that it was 

 difficult for them to wholly conceal their 

 course, which led over the divide. Farther 

 on the ponies were abandoned and all the 

 Indians scattered among the rocks, where 

 their trails were lost. Securing the ponies 

 the scouts went into camp, sending back 

 couriers to announce their success. 



The troops remained at the site of the 

 first skirmish during the night, and in the 

 early morning prepared to move on. Our 

 advance was well up the mountain when 

 the rear guard was attacked. At the first 

 sound of a gun the command rushed down 

 the mountain and was soon on the field, 

 scattered among the rocks in search of the 

 foes. The conflict was short, the Indians 

 retreating. Now and then a glimpse of a 

 swarthy body, or a red garment, would be 

 had and fire opened, yet most of them made 

 their escape, while our loss consisted of 1 

 man slightly wounded and 1 fatally. The 

 coolness and quiet bravery with which this 

 man looked upon the inevitable ending of 

 his sufferings elicited the praise of all. To 

 one he gave his knife, to another his tobac- 

 co-box, and then after leaving messages for 

 those at home, said: " I am ready; go on." 



While the surplus baggage, saddles, etc., 

 were being burned, an animal left the herd, 

 which was grazing some distance away, and 

 coming toward the party of officers stand- 

 ing near the fire, dropped dead. It was 

 found that a wound had been received dur- 

 ing the fight and had escaped notice when 

 the stock was inspected. After the firing 

 ceased, no Indians were seen, but through- 

 out the day the mocking cry of coyotes, first 

 near, then far away, were heard; yet patient 

 search failed to uncover the game. 



Later it was learned that less than a dozen 

 Indians were engaged in this attack. They 

 were returning from a raid on a ranch when 

 they saw the troops, and under cover of 

 night crept among the rocks, hoping to 

 stampede the pack train. They were poorly 

 armed and had little ammunition. 



The rest of the day was spent in search- 

 ing for traces of Indians, and the camp of 

 the previous night was again occupied. In 

 the morning, resuming the march, our eyes 

 were greeted by signal fires on many peaks, 

 as well as along our prospective route, but 

 we sought in vain for their builders. Now 

 we came upon evidence of hasty flight. 

 Here a squaw's saddle, made from 2 oblong 

 cushions and fastened together covered 



