Crossing the Plains, Days of '57

ge of arrangement was made, the forward section turned off the road a short distance before stopping to make camp, and the rear section passed slightly beyond the first, left the

hen they were opposite the Maxwell, or forward, camp, as the train sections had been placed, these men turned from the r

on the Englishman, whose place had been in the lead. They apologized for their mistake. The first speaker added that they had heard it stated that this E

t then assumed the role

ith the Indians who killed his wife, I will kill him. Let him say it, and I will

ree said, in a to

r from the States. We buy their weak and disabled stock, such as cannot finish the trip to the Coast; take the animal

r the large

now, if that Englishman, or any one among you, says I was with the Indians w

h vehemence, and punct

antage was sligh

our combined c

n is. We don't want that kind of language used

tirrups, drew a large pistol from it

ase; and I don't care who likes it," r

n-tongue near the speaker, leaped to his feet, with a pistol leveled at the big hors

n do that here. Now, you

or use of it on his adversary. Van Diveer's advantage was slight, but sufficient for the occasion. Tooly's companions did not act, appearing to await his orders,

Tooly replaced his pist

my pie is over yonder. I do

men, among whom was Mr. Wood. All of these had overheard what

y of timid emigrants, all strangers to him; he the only man probably in the c

the same emphatic threat to kill, if he could induce Wood or any one to

surely did tremble in their boots. He declared again, as he stalked about, that he

ooly commenced this second tirade, in the presence of Wo

silence: a silence more eloquent than speech, since a single word from him in confirmation of the charge he had made would have

camp, and were watching to see what would happen; some of these viewing the scene wit

ost of them terror-stricken, some angry-standing dumb, looking at one another, and at the retreating three until they went out of sight, in the dusk of the des

fool," exclai

t an open battle with those fellows without some of us being killed. They are gone; we should

ey left no b

lee, al

down in

avorite ditty was, of cour

had been ravaging the emigrant trains? If so, doubtless they would be concerned in other and

ment of it-to clear away all doubt, or even, as yet, to induce the majority of our men to act on t

t there were two bands of Indians operating along that part of the Humboldt River in the looting of emigrant trains. If it could be proved that white men co-operated with the savages in the Wood case, the inference would be strong that the