It was in the summer of 1883 when my three cousins and my self started from New York on a trip across the Continent. We went as far as Denver Col. by rail. We landed in Denver one evening about 6 o’clock and “put up” at a first class hotel. I was sitting on the piazza after supper, there were three or four men dressed in flannel shirts and pants stuffed in boot tops, sitting near, they looked like honest and up right men and seemed to be quiet. But, still behind what seemed to be their pleasant faces seemed to be hidden a strange fire and if once aroused would be worse than the worse lion aroused from his lair. I became interested at once and drew my chair close so as to hear what they were talking about.

They seemed to be talking about my cousin and myself at first, but when they perceived inc sitting so near they changed the subject. I heard one of them say something about liking to take a few passengers. Finally one of them asked me where i was travelling to. I told him that ins’ cousins and myself were taking a trip across the Continent

Just then my cousins came up and we all entered in conservation with the men. They were going to start Wednesday (as this was Mon) a trip to California in a wagon train. ‘Well, we arranged it among ourselves that we were to start in the wagons on the following Wednesday.

The next thing that was to be done was to see the wagons and horses and more beautiful horses you never saw, they were perfect beauties, and the wagons were all new and strong, being 3 in number. Each wagon was drawn by 4 horses, making 12 in number of the finest and largest horses in Denver. We left the men with the wagons and strolled down the street toward the hotel.

There were fifteen of us in all and we expected to have a good time as well as a hard one, for all the country west of Col. was lined with Indians. We reached the hotel in due time and sat down on the porch to rest. It was a beautiful evening, men and children were hurrying in all directions. Some were riding young horses and laughing and shouting at others who could not ride so well. The sun was about to set in the west; you could see it reflect in the glass windows on the opposite side of the street making it look as if they were on fire.

Suddenly a rider dashed up to the hotel threw himself out of the saddle and ran up on the porch, he was a fine looking fellow dressed in buckskin pants and flannel shirt a belt around his waist was decorated with pistols and a large knife which a lareat and rifle hung at the saddle pommel. He was indeed a desparate looking fellow. 1 drew near so as to hear what was said. He was so breathless that I could hardly hear what was said. But he proved to he a scout and had been riding along when he discovered some Indians who had chased him. This was bad news for us for we were to start the next day, earily.

Well, all was well the rest of the night with the exception of a free fight in the bar of the hotel. Next morn we were up with the sun and were on our way to the wagons before most people were awake. All of us boys had a splendid outfit. I had a Winchester repeater rifle and a revolver with a splendid lariat and hunting knife, which I was mounted on a beautiful black mustang. All of us were well anned and mounted well.

At last we reached our wagons there they were horses all harnessed and ready to start. In the first wagon were our tents and poles with our cooking utensils. The next carried our stores and the next was full of, well I don’t know what, everything that we would possibly need. About seven o’clock we started and rode all day, all the men were mounted on horses. When night came we camped in a pretty place but nothing happened worth mentioning.

Thus we travelled for about a week. Now we were on a vast prarie; night came on; it was very dark anda wind blew very strongly we had seen some signs of Indians, so of course we were on the lookout all night. Next morning about three o’clock while I was on guard I discovered a bright light away over in the east. I did not think it worth while to arouse the camp so I paid no more attention to it.

About an hour afterward the light had broken in a great blaze and was streching as far as the eye could reach. I had heard talk of prarie fires but had never before witnessed one. I knew this was one so I fired my revolver three times and woke all in the camp. The fire was making good headway and was comming towards us. We all set to work cutting the grass in a great wide circle and soon had a place cleared large enough for us all to stay in with safety. To this place we dragged our wagons and horses. The fire was about 5 miles away and coming at a rate of a mile a minute.

0! what a terrible, but grand sight to see that great sheet of fire coining towards us and wild animals dashing on before it, while our horses were plunging and kicking to get free. I just imagine us there, we staring death in the face, as it were, not knowing what instant we all would be burned alive. The fire was on us! I rushed to my mustang and threw him to the ground and every man did the same to his horse.

In about 10 minutes the fire had passed and we let the horses up, there they stood trembling in every limb while the men were making remarks and cracking jokes on the tire and how others acted. Which, as a whole, every man was thoroughly frightened, I believe. Well, about 3 hours after sun-rise we started and toward night came within a small strip of woods. It was a beautiful night, the moon was out bright and you could hear the howl of the coyote and the bark of the prairie dog. All this taken together made the night seem lonesome and sullen. 0! how I felt while standing there on guard to hear the coyettes yelling.

I thought if a tribe of Indians should break down on us now what would I do. Well the next morning when I awoke I discovered all the men standing in a group and looking in the same directiom. I walked up to where they were standing and asked what was the matter and found that three of the ponies had strayed and could not be seen anywhere. I ran back and saddled my mustang and galloped off on the trail the horses had left. I rode about 5 miles and discovered another trail of about 10 horses joining that of the horses! was following.

I looked to my rifle and revolvers and spurred forward; in about an hour I came to the top of a hill where I stopped and looked over the prairies. There I could see a band of about 10 men mounted on horses and running after our three. I rode forward wanting to ride in among them but still afraid. When within about a mile of them I remembered that I had a silver whistle that all the horses would answer. So I stopped for the Indians had not discovered me vet and got down in the grass 1 lay low and blew the whistle with all my might 3 times.

The horses wheeled around and galloped back toward me and the Indians right behind them. I sprang to my feet, and then on the horse and galloped away. 0! what piercing yell went up from those Indians I galloped on and on: they were gaining on me

I turned in my saddle and tired; an Indian fell from his pony with a yell. I fired again and missed. Then they began tiring. I was now with in 2 miles of the camp and my horse was flagging. I spoke to him and spurred him on but to no avail.

Presently I heard a yell from the top of a hill it did not sound like Indians so I turned in that direction and to my great joy found three of the men. We at once opened tire on the Indians and soon drove them off, also recaptured our ponies. It was the first time I had ever been chased by Indians and I looked out for them after that. Little did we think that the dusky fiends would dare to attack us again, but the day after that we were within 80 miles of the mountains when about 11 o’clock we halted on the top of a hill, when out of the woods about 4 miles distant broke a band of Indians about 100 in number.

We formed our wagons in a circle and horses fastened securely and then we got behind them, so as to be ready for the attack. They formed a file of ones and began a circuit of the hill. We kept close and now and then would fire. I sent a half a dozen braves to the happy hunting grounds. Afler they had ridden around for about an hour they stopped for a rest and to “blow” their horses. Then we began a lively fire on them and they soon scampered out of range of our rifles.

They made camp and decided to starve us out, and we decided to “get out” as soon as we could. We stayed in this fix for 3 da s when we began to get desparate for our “grub” was getting low. On the morning of the third day some of the Indians rode away and we began to saddle up and about 3 hours after this had gone we made a dash in among the remaining Indians. It was a desparate fight But they ran first and left us the victors of the field.

Three of our men had been killed and my horse was shot from under me. But I got an Indian’s horse which was just as good. Well we left our wagons and started out on horse back and after a weeks hard riding reached my uncle’s house in Cal, where we were welcomed very heartily. How I remember sitting around that large -rate fire and letting how we injoyed the trip and the boys saying it was my fault that the Indians attacked us, because I led them to camp while hunting stray horses. We stayed at my uncle’s ranch quite awhile and had a splendid time hunting for all kinds of game.

H. B. Middleton