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reached camp safely； and after they had left him nobody ever again saw
him alive。 Evidently he himself； plodding northwards； passed over the
road without seeing it in the gathering gloom； probably he struck it
at some point where the ground was bad； and the dim trail in
consequence disappeared entirely； as is the way with these prairie
roadsmaking them landmarks to be used with caution。 He must then
have walked on and on； over rugged hills and across deep ravines；
until his horse came to a standstill； he took off its saddle and
picketed it to a dwarfed ash。 Its frozen carcass was found with the
saddle near by； two months later。 He now evidently recognized some
landmark； and realized that he had passed the road； and was far to the
north of the round…up wagons； but he was a resolute； self…confident
man； and he determined to strike out for a line camp； which he knew
lay about due east of him； two or three miles out on the prairie； on
one of the head branches of Knife River。 Night must have fallen by
this time； and he missed the camp； probably passing it within less
than a mile； but he did pass it； and with it all hopes of life； and
walked wearily on to his doom； through the thick darkness and the
driving snow。 At last his strength failed； and he lay down in the tall
grass of a little hollow。 Five months later； in the early spring； the
riders from the line camp found his body； resting； face downwards；
with the forehead on the folded arms。
Accidents of less degree are common。 Men break their collar…bones；
arms； or legs by falling when riding at speed over dangerous ground；
when cutting cattle or trying to control a stampeded herd； or by being
thrown or rolled on by bucking or rearing horses； or their horses； and
on rare occasion even they themselves； are gored by fighting steers。
Death by storm or in flood； death in striving to master a wild and
vicious horse； or in handling maddened cattle； and too often death in
brutal conflict with one of his own fellowsany one of these is the
not unnatural end of the life of the dweller on the plains or in the
mountains。
But a few years ago other risks had to be run from savage beasts； and
from the Indians。 Since I have been ranching on the Little Missouri；
two men have been killed by bears in the neighborhood of my range； and
in the early years of my residence there； several men living or
travelling in the country were slain by small war…parties of young
braves。 All the old…time trappers and hunters could tell stirring
tales of their encounters with Indians。
My friend； Tazewell Woody； was among the chief actors in one of the
most noteworthy adventures of this kind。 He was a very quiet man； and
it was exceedingly difficult to get him to talk over any of his past
experiences； but one day； when he was in high good…humor with me for
having made three consecutive straight shots at elk； he became quite
communicative； and I was able to get him to tell me one story which I
had long wished to hear from his lips； having already heard of it
through one of the other survivors of the incident。 When he found that
I already knew a good deal old Woody told me the rest。
It was in the spring of 1875； and Woody and two friends were trapping
on the Yellowstone。 The Sioux were very bad at the time and had killed
many prospectors； hunters； cowboys； and settlers； the whites
retaliated whenever they got a chance； but； as always in Indian
warfare； the sly； lurking； bloodthirsty savages inflicted much more
loss than they suffered。
The three men； having a dozen horses with them； were camped by the
river…side in a triangular patch of brush； shaped a good deal like a
common flat…iron。 On reaching camp they started to put out their
traps； and when he came back in the evening Woody informed his
companions that he had seen a great deal of Indian sign； and that he
believed there were Sioux in the neighborhood。 His companions both
laughed at him； assuring him that they were not Sioux at all but
friendly Crows； and that they would be in camp next morning； 〃and sure
enough；〃 said Woody； meditatively； 〃they /were/ in camp next morning。〃
By dawn one of the men went down the river to look at some of the
traps； while Woody started out to where the horses were； the third man
remaining in camp to get breakfast。 Suddenly two shots were heard down
the river； and in another moment a mounted Indian swept towards the
horses。 Woody fired； but missed him； and he drove off five while
Woody； running forward； succeeded in herding the other seven into
camp。 Hardly had this been accomplished before the man who had gone
down the river appeared； out of breath with his desperate run； having
been surprised by several Indians； and just succeeding in making his
escape by dodging from bush to bush； threatening his pursuers with his
rifle。
These proved to be but the forerunners of a great war party； for when
the sun rose the hills around seemed black with Sioux。 Had they chosen
to dash right in on the camp； running the risk of losing several of
their men in the charge； they could of course have eaten up the three
hunters in a minute； but such a charge is rarely practised by Indians；
who； although they are admirable in defensive warfare； and even in
certain kinds of offensive movements； and although from their skill in
hiding they usually inflict much more loss than they suffer when
matched against white troops； are yet very reluctant to make any
movement where the advantage gained must be offset by considerable
loss of life。 The three men thought they were surely doomed； but being
veteran frontiersmen and long inured to every kind of hardship and
danger； they set to work with cool resolution to make as effective a
defence as possible； to beat off their antagonists if they might； and
if this proved impracticable； to sell their lives as dearly as they
could。 Having tethered the horses in a slight hollow； the only one
which offered any protection； each man crept out to a point of the
triangular brush patch and lay down to await events。
In a very short while the Indians began closing in on them； taking
every advantage of cover； and then； both from their side of the river
and from the opposite bank； opened a perfect fusillade； wasting their
cartridges with a recklessness which Indians are apt to show when
excited。 The hunters could hear the hoarse commands of the chiefs； the
war…whoops and the taunts in broken English which some of the warriors
hurled at them。 Very soon all of their horses were killed； and the
brush was fairly riddled by the incessant volleys； but the three men
themselves； lying flat on the ground and well concealed； were not
harmed。 The more daring young warriors then began to creep toward the
hunters； going stealthily from one piece of cover to the next； and now
the whites in turn opened fire。 They did not shoot recklessly； as did
their foes； but coolly and quietly； endeavoring to make each shot
tell。 Said Woody： 〃I only fired seven times all day； I reckoned on
getting meat every time I pulled trigger。〃 They had an immense
advantage over their enemies； in that whereas they lay still and
entirely concealed； the Indians of course had to move from cover to
cover in order to approach； and so had at times to expose themselves。
When the whites fired at all they fired at a man； whether moving； or
motionless； whom they could clearly see； while the Indians could only
shoot at the smoke； which imperfectly marked the position of their
unseen foes。 In consequence the assailants speedily found that it was
a task of hopeless danger to try in such a manner to close in on three
plains veterans； men of iron nerve and skilled in the use of the
rifle。 Yet some of the more daring crept up very close to the patch of
brush； and one actually got inside it； and was killed among the
bedding that lay by the smouldering camp…fire。 The wounded and such of
the dead as did not lie in too exposed positions were promptly taken
away by their comrades； but seven bodies fell into the hands of the
three hunters。 I asked Woody how many he himself had killed。 He said
he could only be sure of two that he got； one he shot in the head as
he peeped over a bush； and the other he shot through the smoke as he
attempted to rush in。 〃My； how that Indian did yell；〃 said Woody；
retrospectively； 〃/he/ was no great of a Stoic。〃 After two or three
hours of this deadly skirmishing； which resulted in nothing more
serious to the whites than in two of them being slightly wounded； the
Sioux became disheartened by the loss they were suffering and
withdrew； confining themselves thereafter to a long range and harmless
fusillade。 When it was dark the three men crept out to the river bed；
and taking advantage of the pitchy night broke through the circle of
their foes； they managed to reach the settlements without further
molestation； having lost everything except their rifles。
For many years one of the most important of the wilderness dwellers
was the West Point officer； and no man has played a greater part than
he in the wild warfare which opened the regions beyond the Mississippi
to white settlement。 Since 1879； there has been but little regular
Indian fightin