Part 17 (1/2)

While the regi for orders, I spentbuffaloes One day while I was out with a small party, fifty Indians jumped us, and we had a terrific battle for an hour We finally ed to drive them off, with four of their warriors killed

With me were a nu bullets thick and fast where they would do the most execution

Two or three of our horses were hit Oneto stay with the Indians as long as they would stay with us But they gave it up at last We finished our hunt and returned to the Post with plenty of buffalo meat Here we received the coht

In a few days orders can in the Canadian River country We were to proceed to Fort Lyon on the Arkansas River and fit out for the expedition Leaving Fort Wallace in November, 1868, we arrived at Fort Lyon in the latter part of the

Three weeks before this, General Penrose had left the Post with a coons with him His supply train was composed of pack mules General Carr was ordered to folloith supplies on Penrose's trail and to overtake him as soon as possible I was particularly anxious to catch up with Penrose's co his scouts

For the first three days we followed the trail easily Then ere caught in Freeze-Out Canon by a fearful snowstoro into caer to follow Penrose's trail The ground was covered with snow, and he had left no sign to shohich direction he was going

General Carr sent for hly important that we should not lose the trail He instructed me to take some scouts, and, while the command remained in can that would indicate the direction Penrose had taken

Acco snowstorm We rode twenty-four miles in a southerly direction till we reached a tributary of the Cimarron From here we scouted up and down the stream for a few miles, and at last turned up one of Penrose's old camps

It was now late in the afternoon If the camp was to come up the next day it was necessary for us to return immediately with our information

We built a fire in a sheltered spot, broiled so the day, and after a substantialthe others behind

It was eleven o'clock when I got back into ca in General Carr's tent He was sitting up to await ht hi the safety of Penrose Rousing up his cook, he ordered a hot supper for reatly appreciated I passed the night in the general's tent, and woke the nextday's work

The snow had drifted deeply overnight, and the co for the Cireat depth Often the teah

At sundoe reached the Ci, on looking around, we found that Penrose, as not encuons, had kept on the west side of the Cih that we could not stay on the trail agons But we knew that he would continue down the river, and the general gave orders to take the best route down-stream, which I found to be on the east side Before we could on trains we had to leave the river and get out on the divide

For soht up standing on a high table-land overlooking the beautiful winding creek that lay far below us How to get the wagons down became a serious probleh Raton Mountains The bluff ere on was steep and rugged

”Cody,” said General Carr, ”we're in a nice fix now”

”That's nothing,” I replied

”But you never can take the train down”

”Never ood camp How does that valley suit you?”

”That will do,” he said ”I can easily descend with the cavalry, but how to get the wagons down is a puzzler”

”By the tions will be there,” I said

”All right,” he returned ”I'll leave it to you, inasmuch as you seem to want to be the boss” He ordered the command to dison-train, which was a mile in the rear, caet down there?”