In the Rocky Mountains A Tale of Adventure   By: William Henry Giles Kingston (1814-1880)

[Illustration: FINDING A FRIEND.]

IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

A Tale of Adventure.

BY

W. H. G. KINGSTON,

AUTHOR OF "OLD JACK," "IN THE EASTERN SEAS," "ON THE BANKS OF THE AMAZON," "IN THE WILDS OF AFRICA," ETC.

LONDON: THOMAS NELSON AND SONS. EDINBURGH AND NEW YORK. 1878.

Contents.

CHAPTER I.

WHY UNCLE JEFF CAME TO "ROARING WATER," THE SITUATION OF THE FARM THE INMATES OF THE HOUSE MY SISTER CLARICE AND BLACK RACHEL UNCLE JEFF BARTLE WON AND GIDEON TUTTLE ARRIVAL OF LIEUTENANT BROADSTREET AND HIS MEN THE TROOPERS QUARTERED IN THE HUT OUR FARM LABOURERS SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF THE REDSKIN WINNEMAK HIS FORMER VISIT TO THE FARM CLARICE ENCOUNTERS HIM AT THE SPRING BADLY WOUNDED KINDLY TREATED BY CLARICE AND RACHEL HIS GRATITUDE 13 33

CHAPTER II.

WINNEMAK WARNS US OF THE APPROACH OF ENEMIES BARTLE GOES OUT TO SCOUT NO SIGNS OF A FOE I TAKE THE LIEUTENANT TO VISIT "ROARING WATER" BARTLE REPORTS THAT THE ENEMY HAVE TURNED BACK THE LIEUTENANT DELAYED BY THE SERGEANT'S ILLNESS THE VISIT TO THE HUT A TIPSY TROOPER KLITZ AND GILLOOLY MISSING THE SERGEANT BECOMES WORSE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING MEN I OFFER TO ACT AS GUIDE TO THE LIEUTENANT BARTLE UNDERTAKES TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS BECOME OF KLITZ AND BARNEY 31 55

CHAPTER III.

MY FAMILY HISTORY MY FATHER, ONCE A CAPTAIN IN THE BRITISH ARMY, COMES TO AMERICA AND MARRIES UNCLE JEFF'S SISTER HE SETTLES ON A FARM IN OHIO CLARICE AND I ARE BORN MY GRANDFATHER'S FARM DESTROYED BY A FLOOD THE NEXT YEAR OUR FARM IS BURNT MY FATHER RESOLVES TO MIGRATE TO THE WEST WE SET OFF IN WAGGONS WITH AN EMIGRANT TRAIN PROSPEROUS COMMENCEMENT OF JOURNEY PROVISIONS RUN SHORT I WITNESS A BUFFALO HUNT THE EMIGRANTS SUFFER FROM CHOLERA MY MOTHER DIES MANY OF THE EMIGRANTS TURN BACK MY FATHER PERSEVERES FIERCELY ATTACKED BY INDIANS WE KEEP THEM AT BAY AGAIN ATTACKED, WHEN A STRANGER COMES TO OUR ASSISTANCE CLARICE GIVES HIM A BOOK HE PROMISES TO READ IT WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY, AND REACH FORT KEARNEY REMAIN THERE FOR SOME MONTHS MY FATHER, THOUGH STILL SUFFERING, INSISTS ON SETTING OUT AGAIN HE SOON BECOMES WORSE, AND DIES I AM DIGGING HIS GRAVE, WHEN AN EMIGRANT TRAIN COMES BY UNCLE JEFF IS THE LEADER, AND WE ACCOMPANY HIM TO ROARING WATER 56 80

CHAPTER IV.

AS THE LIEUTENANT AND I ARE STARTING, WE HEAR THAT KLITZ AND BARNEY HAVE GONE OFF WITH A WHEELBARROW FOR CALIFORNIA A PLEASANT BIVOUAC AT LAST WE CATCH SIGHT OF THE DESERTERS THE LIEUTENANT IS ABOUT TO RIDE AFTER THEM, WHEN A PARTY OF INDIANS APPEAR THE INDIANS TAKE TO FLIGHT, AND WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE RUNAWAYS FORM OUR CAMP DISCOVER THAT WE ARE WATCHED FOLLOW THE SPY, WHO PROVES TO BE MAYSOTTA FIND THE DESERTERS TAKING THEIR EASE WE CAPTURE THEM, AND, GUIDED BY MAYSOTTA, TAKE THEM TO THE INDIAN CAMP RESOLVE TO RETURN TO THE FARM 81 102

CHAPTER V.

WE LEAVE THE INDIAN CAMP MAYSOTTA'S KIND OFFER OUR RIDE TO ROARING WATER INDIANS IN THE DISTANCE IN SIGHT OF THE FARM A STRANGER INDIAN OUR RECEPTION BY UNCLE JEFF THE INDIAN'S STORY HE GETS FOOD AND SHELTER MATTERS NOW LOOK SERIOUS A COUNCIL OF WAR MY DOUBTS OF THE INDIAN CLARICE AND RACHEL ACCOMPANY THE LIEUTENANT TO THE INDIAN CAMP WE BARRICADE THE HOUSE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE INDIAN BARTLE GOES OUT TO RECONNOITRE APPROACH OF THE ENEMY A DETERMINED ATTACK SEVERE LOSSES THE OUT BUILDINGS SET ON FIRE OUR AMMUNITION RUNS SHORT THE ROOF TAKES FIRE HOW ARE WE TO ESCAPE? UNCLE JEFF'S RUSE, AND HOW IT SUCCEEDED 103 133

CHAPTER VI.

WE ARE SURPRISED BY THE INDIANS WHILE LEAVING THE HOUSE BARTLE'S ADVICE I AM PERSUADED TO ESCAPE ALONE AN EXCITING PURSUIT FOOD AND REST MY JOURNEY RESUMED AMONG THE MOUNTAINS MY ANXIETY ABOUT MY FRIENDS A WEARY DAY AN INDIAN IN SIGHT FRIEND OR ENEMY? A RECOGNITION WINNEMAK AND HIS BRAVES I AM KINDLY TREATED NO NEWS OF UNCLE JEFF A SPY WE START IN PURSUIT OF HIM THE SPY OVERTAKEN A DEADLY COMBAT WINNEMAK OVERCOMES PIOMINGO IS HE DEAD? MY INTERCESSION ON THE WAY FOR WINNEMAK'S CAMP 134 157