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Conservative *
the loft , ndvauciug until they mot ; then
the next two in the same order , bring
ing the fore wheel close up to the hind
wheel of the wagon ahead , the balance
of the train in the same order , making
a semi-circular corral with thirteen
wagons on each wing , nearly closed at
front with an opening at rear of about
twenty feet. The cattle were then turned
loose , with the yokes on the ground
where they stood. A mounted herder
takes charge of th.9 cattle , watering first
and then to grass. The drivers , each
one with a heavy pistol at his hip and
gun , in charge of wagonmaster , divided
in mess of six to eight , two with sacks
start out for chips , another for water ,
another digs the fire trench , all do their
part until the nienl of bread , bacon and
coffee is ready to bo served out , and
each one provided with a tin plate , quart
cup , knife , fork and spoon. If the
camp is for the night , after supper
preparations are made for an early
breakfast ; then would come the time
for a good smoke , song and story ; then
rolling up in their blankets to rest under
the wagons until "Roll out 1 Boll out I
is called out at daybreak by the night
herder. After an early breakfast the
cattle are driven in the corral and at
the command , "Yoke up ! " every driver
starts in among the cattle with yoke on
his left shoulder , ox-bow in his right
hand , and key in his mouth , looking for
his off-wheeler ; when found the yoke
is fastened to him with one end resting
on the ground until the near one , his
mate , is found. When yoked together
they are taken to the wagon and hitched
in their place ; then come the others in
their order , only a short time being
required until ready for the order from
the wagonmaster "Pull out ! " Then
the bull-whacker is in his glory , with
his whip , the lash of which is twenty
feet in length , largo and heavy , taper
ing to a small point and tipped with
buckskin popper , hung to a handle
eighteen inches in length , filling both
hands in its grasp but small at the end ;
four or five swings over and around the
head the lash is shot straight out with
the report of a gun. With 26 of these
whips , swinging at the same time , the
reports sounding like the fire of a picket
line of soldiers. A steer was seldom
struck with these whips , unless a dead
head. When hit with full force blood
would surely follow.
Nltflit Camp.
At the camp for the night the cattle
were allowed to graze at will until well
filled and inclined to lie down. Then
the herder rides gently around them ,
driving them to a centre and bunching
them close as possible without crowding ,
riding slowly and quietly around them
during the night , gently whistling and
singing if the herd seemed restless ,
always guarding against a stampede
which sometimes happened. In every
herd there are leaders , and when a
stampede from any cause occurs , the
whole herd spring to their feet at the
same instant , the leaders dashing off
with the whole herd following. Then
comes the time for the herder to show
his nerve and courage , when ho knows
that a gopher hole , a broken saddle
girth , or a fall meant sudden death in
his effort to reach the front at one side
of the leaders and with yells and pistol
shots turn the front and get them run
ning in a circle until their fright sub
sided. The herder generally succeeded ,
but not always. The writer remembers
of one herd that stampeded during a
bad storm , one-half being lost and a few
found days after , forty miles from the
camp from which they started.
Incidents on the Koutu.
In the early spring of 1802 I purchased
an outfit any number of teams and
wagons less than a full train was called
an outfit loaded the wagons with my
own merchandise for the Denver mar
ket. I was one of the first to pull out
from Nebraska City that season.
On the route , a few miles west from
Fort Kearney , we struck a vast herd of
buffalo that was making for the Platte
for water. They were in such numbers
that wo made camp , thinking it not best
to drive through them. These wild
cattle were a parb of the yearly drift
from North to South down the Platte ,
crossing the country from that point to
the Republican river , it being the near
est point between the two rivers.
The uoxt day , while in camp , a small
war party of Sioux Indians , in their war
paint , stopped with us for dinner. They
wore on their way to join a largo force
for a fight with the Pawnees. The
Sioux , from their earliest history , were
enemies of the Pawnees on the south ,
and to the Utes on the west. On our
return trip wo met a few of this same
party on foot , on their return from their
conflict , having lost several of their
warriors and a number of ponies , but
proudly showed two Pawnee scalps they
had taken.
We made Denver in 28 days , from
Nebraska Oity , which was quick time
for cattle. At that time Denver was a
little city of tents and cheaply built
wood buildings on the business street.
I think there was but ono brick building ,
that a warehouse belonging to the
freighting firm of Russell , Majors &
Waddell. I closed out my goods ,
realizing a good profit. The third day
after my arrival , having received some
thing over $10,000 in Cherry Creek gold
dust , soldered up in two pound oyster
cans , rolled up in my blankets and
strapped securely at the back of my
saddle , I mounted my mule and started
to overtake my teams. The second day
out , when about fifty miles east from
Denver , about 2 o'clock on a warm
afternoon , I was jogging along on my
mule , half asleep , when I was suddenly
aroused by Hi-yi-a-Hi-yi-a-Ho-ye-a-Hi-
yi-Ho. Looking up I saw a shorb dis
tance away , coming over a swell on the
trail , a war party of Indians mounted
on fine plain's ponies , armed with lance ,
bows and arrows. They came on a
charge , with lance at rest and with a
quivering feather at the head of every
lance. I was quickly surrounded by one
hundred and fifty greased and painted
wild beings , with not a thing on or
about them that was not of native
manufacture , adorned with many orna
ments made from hammered silver. On
seeing that wild charge approaching I
was startled , but the Indians at that
time were friendly and I thought they
meant me no harm. They were a war
party of Ogallala Sioux on a raid
against their old-time enemy , the Utes.
During the interview the chief explained
in sign language how they intended
surprising the Utes by creeping on them
like snakes , and getting many scalps.
Hanging to the horn of my saddle was a
fine Colts Navy revolver. The chief
wished to see it. I drew it from the
case and passed it to him. After giving
it a close examination he passed it to
one near him , and from him it went the
circle of all on the inside. Many
gutteral sounds and motions wore made
while looking it over. Thou it came
back from hand to hand to the chief
who gave it to me with signs of thanks.
That same revolver was afterward
captured by the Indians and the man
who carried it was killed.
After entertaining me for half an
hour I liberally treated those near with
tobacco , who received it with many
"How Hows. " Then the chief gave a
command by a flash from a small round
mirror , set in a frame with handle and
hung to the wrist. In an instant they
wheeled into line , starting off on a
lope , striking into their wild war-
song : "Ho - aHi - yi - a-He-ye-a-Hi-yi-
Ho. " I sat on my mule and gazed after
them until they passed from my sight.
The history of this same war party is ,
the Utes learned of their approach ,
ambushed them , fought and defeated
them with great loss. It is said this was
the last war party sent against the Utes
by the Sioux , after having been long
time enemies.
Transportation
The freighting business increased
largely in volume every year from 18G2
to I860. According to a census taken
for the year 1805 , there were employed
in the movement of goods , grain and
other stores , westward from Nebraska
City :
7,805 wagons. 7,2131 mules.
50,712 oxen. 8,385 men.
Transporting 31,445,428 Ibs. of freight.
The customary rate of cattle freight
to any point where two trips could be
made during the season was one dollar
per hundred pounds for each one hun
dred miles ; sometimes a little more or
less , owing to circumstances. Winter
