After the excitement attending the departure of the Indians had passed and the last glimpse of the departing village had been had, our little party seemed lonely enough as we stood huddled together on the bank of Mulberry Creek. There was nothing to be done until the arrival of our expected supplies. Little Robe, impatient at the proposed delay, concluded to start at once in quest of his people, and if possible persuade them to meet us instead of awaiting out arrival. He evidently was anxious to have peace concluded with the Cheyennes, and thus enable his people to be placed on the same secure footing with the Arapahoes. Instead of opposing, I encouraged him in the execution of his plan, although loath to part with him. The two young Arapahoes were to remain with me, however, and by concert of plan between them and Little Robe we would be able to follow the trail.
It was agreed that if Little Robe should come up with his people and be able to induce them to return he was to send up smoke signals each morning and evening, in order that we might receive notice of their approach and be able to regulate our march accordingly. Giving him a sufficient supply of coffee, sugar, and hard bread, we saw Little Robe set out on his solitary journey in the character of a veritable peace commissioner.
I might fill several pages in describing the various expedients to which our little party resorted in order to dispose of our time while waiting the arrival of our supplies. How Romeo, by the promise of a small reward in case he was successful, was induced to attempt to ride a beautiful Indian pony which we had caught on the plains, and which was still as wild and unbroken as if he had never felt the hand of man. The ground selected was a broad border of deep sand, extending up and down the valley. Two long lariats were securely fastened to the halter. At the end of one was my brother. I officiated at the end of the other, with the pony standing midway between us, some twenty feet from either, and up to his fetlocks in sand, an anxious spectator of what was going on. Everything being in readiness, Romeo, with never a fear or doubt as to the result, stepped quietly up to the side of the pony, who, turning his head somewhat inquiringly, uttered a few snorts indicative of anything but gentleness. Romeo, who was as active as a cat, succeeded in placing his hands on the pony's back, and with an injunction to us to keep firm hold on the lariats he sprang lightly upon the back of the pony and seized the mane.
I have seen trained mules, the delight of boys who attend the circus, and sometimes of persons of more advanced age, and have witnessed the laughable efforts of the youngsters who vainly endeavor to ride the contumacious quadruped once around the ring; but I remember nothing of this description to equal or resemble the frantic plunges of the Indian pony in his untrained efforts to free his back from its burden, nor the equally frantic and earnest efforts of the rider to maintain his position. Fortunately for the holders of the lariats they exceeded the length of the pony's legs, or his heels, which were being elevated in all directions and almost at the same time, would have compelled us to relinquish our hold and leave Romeo to his fate. As both pony and rider seemed to redouble their efforts for the mastery the scene became more ludicrous, while the hearty and prolonged shouts of laughter from the bystanders on all sides seemed only to add intensity to the contest.
This may strike the reader as a not very dignified proceeding, particularly, upon the part of one of the lariat holders; but we were not studying how to appear dignified, but how to amuse ourselves. So exhausted did I become with unrestrained laughter as I beheld Romeo in his lofty gyrations about a center which belonged to the movable order, that a much further prolongation of the sport would have forced me to relinquish my hold on the lariat. But I was spared this result. The pony, as if studying the problem, had indulged in almost every conceivable form of leaping, and now, rising almost perpendicularly on his hind legs, stood erect, pawing the air with his fore legs and compelling Romeo, in order to prevent himself from sliding off, to clasp him about the neck with both arms. The pony seemed almost as if waiting this situation, as with the utmost quickness, and before Romeo could resume his seat, he descended from his elevated attitude and the next moment his head was almost touching the ground, and his heels occupied the space just vacated by his head in mid air. This sudden change was too much for Romeo, and as if projected from an ancient catapult he departed from his place on the back of the pony and landed on the deep, soft sand, many feet in advance of his late opponent. Three times was this repeated with almost the same result until finally Romeo, as he brushed the sand from his matted locks, expressed it as his opinion that no one but an Indian could ride that pony. As Romeo was half Indian, the distinction seemed finely drawn.
Innumerable were the tricks played on each other by one and all; everything seemed legitimate sport which tended to kill time. Three days after the departure of the Arapahoe village the lookout reported that parties were in sight some three or four miles in the direction taken by the village. This created no little excitement in camp. Fieldglasses were brought into immediate requisition, and after a careful examination of the parties who could be plainly seen approaching us the distance, we all came to the conclusion that what we saw must be the escort with our supplies. A few horses were saddled and two of the officers, with some the men, galloped out to meet the advancing party. It proved to be Colonel Cooke with California Joe and a dozen men, bringing with them several pack animals loaded with fresh supplies.
I need not say how we welcomed their arrival. It was too late in the day to make it desirable for us to set out on the trail of Little Robe, as it was necessary to unpack and issue rations and repack the remainder; so that it was concluded to remain until next morning, an additional reason in favor of this resolution being that the horses of Colonel Cooke's party would have the benefit of rest. The account given by Colonel Cooke and California Joe concerning their march was exceedingly interesting. It will be remembered that it was the expectation that we would find the Arapahoe village nearer our main camp than we afterward did, and in my letter to General Sheridan I had intimated that Colonel Cooke would probably overtake us at a point not far from the termination of the Wichita Mountains.
Colonel Cooke arrived at the designated point, but we, of course, had gone, and not finding any letter or signal at our deserted camp he became, not unnaturally, anxious as to where we had gone. This will not be wondered at when it is remembered that he had but thirteen men with him and was then in a hostile country and far from all support. However, he had nothing to do but to continue on our trail. That night will no doubt live long in the memory of Colonel Cooke.
After reaching camp with his little party in a small piece of timber, he, as he afterward related to me, began taking a mental survey of his situation. For fear of misleading the reader, I will here remark, as I have indicated in previous chapters, that fear, or a lack of the highest order of personal courage, was not numbered among the traits of character possessed by this officer. After seeing that the animals were properly secured for the night, and his men made comfortable, he sat down by the camp fire awaiting the preparation of his evening meal. In the meantime California Joe found him, and entered into a discussion as to the probabilities of overtaking us soon, and in a kind of Jack Bunsby style suggested, if not, why not?
The more Colonel Cooke looked at the matter, the more trying seemed his position. Had he known, as we then knew, that the Arapahoes had been found and a peaceful agreement entered into, it would have solved all his difficulty. Of this he of course was ignorant, and thoughts ran through his mind that perhaps my little party had been led on only to be massacred, and his would follow blindly to the same fate. This recalled all former Indian atrocities with which he was familiar, while prominent above them all rose before him the fate of young Kidder and party, whose fate is recorded in a former chapter.
In thinking of this, Colonel Cooke was struck by a coincidence. Kidder's party consisted of almost the identical number which composed his own. Kidder had a guide, and Cooke had California Joe; all of which, without attaching any importance to his words, the latter took pains to remind Colonel Cooke of. By the time supper was prepared Colonel Cooke felt the responsibilities of his position too strongly to have any appetite for food, so that when supper was commenced he simply declined it and invited California Joe to help himself, an invitation the latter was not slow in accepting. Posting his guards for the night, Colonel Cooke felt that to sleep was impossible. He took his seat by the camp fire and with his arms by his side impatiently waited the coming of dawn.
California Joe, who regarded the present as of far more importance than the future, and whose slumber would have been little disturbed even had he known that hostile Indians were soon to be encountered, disposed of Colonel Cooke's supper, and then, wrapping himself up in his blanket, stretched himself under a tree near the fire and was soon sleeping soundly. His brief account of the enjoyment he derived from Colonel Cooke's supper was characteristic: 'thar I sot an' sot a eatin' uv that young man's wittles, while he in his cavalry boots, with his pistol in his belt, stood a lookin' inter the fire.'
Early next morning, as soon as the light was sufficient to enable them to follow our trail, Colonel Cooke and his party were on their way. About noon, as they were passing over a low ridge, yet sufficiently high to enable them to see for miles beyond, the eyes of one of the party caught a view of a long line of dark-looking objects miles in advance, yet directly in their path. Each moment the objects became more distinct, until finally Colonel Cooke, who was studying them intently through his glass, pronounced the simple word, 'Indians.' 'Ef that is so,
