The Wolf Hunters: A Story of the Buffalo PlainsPeck, Robert Morris
General
The Wolf Hunters: A Story of the Buffalo Plains
Peck, Robert Morris
Frontier and pioneer life -- Kansas; Hunting -- Kansas
"Don't you think, Bill," I asked, "that this was rather a badly managed
expedition of old Satank's, considering that he has the reputation of
being such a successful raider?"
"Yes, he's made a bad mess of it this time, sure, and a few more such
failures'll cause his followers to choose another leader. I think he's
losing his grip on the war-path, and we'll soon see Satanta or Big
Tree coming to the front as leader of the hostile Kiowas. When what's
left of these fellows get back to their big village and count noses,
there'll be such a howl against old Satank that I don't believe he'll
ever be able to get much of a following again. You mark what I tell
you, Satanta or Big Tree is going to be the war chief of the Kiowas
hereafter."
We found Captain Saunders and his men about two miles above our
camp, dismounted in the edge of the timber near the old Indian camp,
anxiously awaiting our arrival. Saunders himself had his head roughly
bandaged with an old handkerchief because of a glancing arrow wound
above his right ear, which had bled profusely over his face and clothes
but was not serious. His horse had received a bullet in the shoulder
which lamed him badly.
Supposing from Saunders' appearance that he was badly hurt, Tom was
going to him to dress his wounds when the captain said:
"Never mind me, Mr. Vance; I'm not hurt much; but if you can help poor
Dolan there, lying behind that tree, do what you can for him. He is
badly hurt--spitting blood and growing weaker--" talking as he led the
way to where the wounded man lay. "An arrow went through his breast and
lodged in the neck of a horse a couple of rods behind him. I had no
idea they could shoot those arrows so viciously."
On examining Dolan's wound, Tom's experience told him that the man was
past any help that he could render, for the arrow had gone through the
lung, and an inward hemorrhage seemed to be slowly sapping his life.
Dressing the wound and giving the man a stimulant, Tom and the captain
consulted together for a moment and then informed the patient that,
though his case was quite serious, it was not altogether hopeless and
that his only chance was to be hurried back to Fort Larned, where the
post surgeon could give him proper attention.
The other man who had been reported wounded had a broken arm. Tom
splinted and bandaged it, and the two were soon made comparatively
comfortable among the buffalo robes in the wagon. Several others had
received slight wounds but were "able for duty."
While this had been going on, Saunders' men had gotten out the grub and
utensils, fried some meat and made some coffee and now called us up
to eat. This was the first intimation to Saunders that there was such
a luxury as food in the outfit, and as he sniffed the pleasant aroma
of the boiling coffee he turned to Tom and me and thanked us for our
thoughtfulness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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