The Life of Hon. William F. Cody Known as Buffalo Bill The Famous Hunter, Scout and Guide

eat demand, and the company was paying teamsters forty dollars per month in gold. An old and reliable wagon-master, named Lewis Simpson-who had taken a great fancy to me,

ion of an "extra hand" was a pleasant one. All that I would have to do would be to take the place of any man who became sick

ty would terminate. Then again, owing to the Indians, a journey over the plains in those days was a perilous undertaking. She said that as I had recently returned from the plains, and had had a narrow escape from death at the hands of the

should be well taken care of, if we had to winter in the mountains. She did not like the appearance of Simpson, and upon inquiry she learned, to her dismay, that he was a desperate character, and that on nearly every trip he had made

boy is bound to go, he can go with no better man. No one will dare to impose on him while he is with Lew. Simpson, whom I will instruct to take good care of the boy. Upo

re of her precious boy. He promised everything that she asked. Thus, after much trouble, I became one of the members of Simpson's train.

and were covered with two heavy canvas sheets to protect the merchandise from the rain. These wagons were generally sent out from Leavenworth, each loaded with six thousand pounds of freight, and each drawn by several yokes of oxen in charge of one driver. A train consisted of twenty-five wagons, all in charge of one man, who was known as the wagon-master. The second man in command was the assistant wagon-master; then came the "extra hand," next the night herder; and last

ain was denominated a "bull-outfit." Everything at that time was called an "outfit." The men of the plains were always full of droll humor and e

0 oxen, and about eight thousand men; their business reaching to all the government frontier posts in the n

on: A PRAIR

en miles across to the North Platte-near the mouth of the Blue Water, where General Harney had his great battle in 1855 with the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. From this point the North Platte was followed, passing Court House Rock, Chimney Rock and Scott's Bluffs, and then on to Fort Laramie, where the Laramie River was crossed. Still following the North Platte for some considerable distance, the trail crossed this river at old Richard's Bridge,

B. Hickok; he afterwards became famous as "Wild Bill, the Scout of the Plains"-though why he was so called I never could ascertain-and from this time forward I shall refer to him by his popular nickname. He was ten years my senior-a tall, handsome, magnificently built and powerful youn

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ass. In person he was about six feet and one inch in height, straight as the straightest of the warriors whose implacable foe he was. He had broad shoulders, well-formed chest and limbs, and a face strikingly handsome; a sharp, clear blue eye, which stared you straight in the face when in conversation; a finely shaped nose, inclined to be aquiline; a well-turned mouth, with lips only partially concealed by a handsome mo

urroundings. It was entirely free from all bluster or bravado. He seldom spoke himself unless requested to do so. His conversation, strange to say, never bordered either on the vulgar or blasphemous. His influence among the frontiersmen was unbounded, his word was law;

ich had almost always resulted in the death of his adversary. I have a personal knowledge of at least half a dozen men whom he had at var

e ivory-handled revolvers of the large size; he was never seen without them.... Yet in all the many affairs of this kind in which Wild Bill has performed a part,

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ation: W

eral Custer, who was a close observer and student of pers

I was sitting, and sending me sprawling on the ground. Jumping to my feet I picked up a camp kettle full of boiling coffee which was setting on the fire, and threw it at him. I hit him in the face, and the hot coffee gave him a severe scalding. He sprang for me with the ferocity of a tiger, and would undoubtedly have torn me to pieces, had it not been for the timely interference of my new-found friend, Wild Bill, who knocked the man down. As soon as he recovered himself, he demanded of Wild Bil

ve, now covered with grass, in which we had buried the three men who had been killed. The country was alive with buffaloes. Vast herds of these monarchs of the plains were roaming all around us, and we laid over one day for a grand hunt. Besides killing quite a number of buffaloes, and having a day of rare sport, we captured ten or twelve head of cattle, they being a portio

nd broke for the hills; so hotly were they pursued by the hunters that about five hundred of them rushed through our train pell-mell, frightening both men and oxen. Some of the wagons were turned clear round, and many of the terrified oxen attempted to run to

ate efforts to free himself, he not only actually snapped the strong chain in two, but broke the ox-yoke to which it was attached, and the last seen of him he was running towards the hills with it hanging from his horns. A dozen other equally remarkable incidents happened during the short time that

a creek to water them. Simpson, his assistant, George Woods and myself, accompanied by the usual number of guards, drove the cattle over to the creek, and while on our way back to camp, we suddenly observed a party of twenty horsemen rapidly approaching us. We were not yet in view of our wagons, as a rise of gr

you, Mr.

me, sir," said Simpson

s. They were all armed with double-barreled shot guns, rifles and revolvers. We also were armed with revolvers, but we had had no idea of danger, and these men, much to our surprise, had "got the drop

ur six shooters, gentlem

in a way you don't w

led at Simpson. "If you make a move

visable not to risk the lives of the party by any rash act on his part, h

Smith," wa

r of the Danites

t," said Smith,

I know you now; you ar

n in the disguise of a teamster, and had remained with us two days. He suddenly disappeared, no one knowing where he had gone or why he had come among us. But it w

and I'll soon sho

our camp, we were astonished to see the remainder of the train men disarmed and stationed in a group and surroun

ow did you surprise my camp without

d paid no attention to us until we rode up and surrounded your train. With our arms covering the men, we woke them up, and told them that all they had to do was to

opose to do with us

ammunition for Sidney Johnson, and as I have no way to convey the stuff to

asked Simpson, who was anxious to learn

last you until you can reach Fort Bridger," replied Smith; "and as s

the laconic inq

s the equally

said Simpson; "you can well afford to give us at least one wagon and six yokes of oxen to co

g a minute or two with some of his

up according to his orders, and the

d Smith, after everyt

stile country, without giving us our arms," said Simpson, who had

without any means of defense. You shall have your revolvers and guns." Our weapons were accordingly handed over to Sim

t, fierce fire, and the smoke to roll up in dense clouds. Some of the wagons were loaded with ammunition, and it was not long before loud explosions followed in rapid succession. We waited and witnessed the burning of the train, and then pushed on to Fort Bridger. Arriving a