him m his old age. I purchased Dad 80 acres of la-rid at Ban<?echUo, 
Mississippi, and moved him and the family there and stayed with him 
a couple of summers to sort of put him on his feet again. By that time 
the report came that Oklahoma was to be opened for settlement and 
I decided to pay my Indian friends a visit and take in the opening of 
Oklahoma. 
Again leaving my parents I went to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and 
tried to find Bill Parrish, my old Cherokee scout, hut could not locate 
him, so I purchased a good saddle horse at Fort Smith and started out 
over the same trail Bill and I had traveled. I reached old Pequay’s 
cabin in the first day’s ride. He knew me and gave me a hearty hand¬ 
shake, inviting me in. After the old Indian had asked me many ques¬ 
tions I asked him what had become of Bill Parrish. He shook his head 
and said, “Poor Bill is dead” and as I saw it hurt him to tell me so 
I did not inquire further. I stayed two days with Pequay and bid him 
and his family farewell, then proceeded up the trail alone, which was 
not as pleasant as when Bill was with me on that same trail several 
years ago. I had to go through the Creek country which was more 
than a day’s ride. I rode until about 3.00 P. M., ate lunch and went a 
little further until I met a bunch of Creeks. They eyed me inquiringly 
but I said nothing to them—simply kept a stiff upper lip and “I don’t 
give a damn look.” 
I rode until after night before I staked my horse and I did not 
build a fire for fear that the Indians might want to do me harm, and. 
taking my saddle for a pillow and the saddle blankets for my bed, I 
rested fine as I was very tired. 
The next morning as the Bob White quails began to chatter I 
arose, built a small camp fire and made a cup of coffee, had a little 
breakfast and then packed up and was again on my way. 
Before night I arrived at my friends, the Van Arsdels, with whom 
Bill and I had previously stayed. He received me with a hearty wel¬ 
come. He looked several years older, getting a little gray, and he now 
had four children. 
I passed a very pleasant evening. My friends were well posted as 
to the opening of Oklahoma and the exact lands that would be opened 
for settlement. As Bill Parrish and I had previously ridden over the 
country, I was quite familiar with the lay of it. 
I remained with my friend about a week and saw that there w T ere 
lots of beaver on the North Canadian, where it ran through the Creek 
country, but white men were prohibited from trapping in the Indian 
Territory. However, it was not trapping season anyway. 
I bade Van Arsdell and his family farewell and rode to the Sack 
and Fox village. Here I found a number of Indians yet living with 
whom I had hunted before. Henry Miller was there and upon seeing 
me he said, “Where did you hail from, white Indian? Get down and 
give an account of yourself.” In short, I told him what I had been 
doing since my visit with him. They told me that hunting was not so 
good°as it had been. The antelope and buffalo were all gone and there 
was nothing now left but deer and wild turkey. 
They were all glad to see me and told me of the success they had 
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