The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and DescriptiveChittenden, Hiram Martin
History
The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and Descriptive
Chittenden, Hiram Martin
Yellowstone National Park
[AR] The Indians denied that Carpenter was saved because of making a
sign of the cross although they remembered his making it. The chiefs
had strictly enjoined their followers that the whites were not to be
injured. When the few lawless bucks began the attack, some of the
other Indians interfered. Poker Joe was sent back by the chiefs for
the same purpose when they surmised what was going on. He succeeded in
preventing further trouble, and Carpenter's escape was due to this
cause.
The other members of the party scattered promptly when the firing
began. All of them escaped to the brush, but one of them was wounded
in the attempt, and fell behind a log where he lay concealed until the
Indians had gone.
This left Carpenter and his two sisters captive. They were taken along
with the Indians, each being lashed to a pony behind an Indian. The
captives became separated and did not see each other until ten o'clock
that night at the Indian camp near Mary Lake. The next day, August
25th, the march was resumed, and the party were taken across the
Yellowstone at the ford near Mud Geyser. Here Carpenter's fate was put
to a vote of the chiefs and by a majority of one he was given his
life. In the afternoon, the ladies were given each a pony, and, with
Carpenter, were escorted by Poker Joe back across the river. They were
then taken a mile down stream and told to depart--instructions which
they obeyed with no want of alacrity.
Strange to say none of the party had been killed. Cowan, who had been
twice shot, and stoned also by the Indians, when they saw lingering
evidences of life, nevertheless survived. About five o'clock in the
afternoon he recovered consciousness, and drew himself up by the bow
of a tree, when lo! close behind him was another Indian with his rifle
ready to fire. He tried to get away, but the Indian fired and the ball
passed through his left hip. He now gave up hope as he fell again to
the ground. The Indian, however, did not come up. After waiting until
every one had apparently gone, Cowan crawled along till about
mid-night, seeking a place of greater safety, and then waited for
day. At daybreak he commenced crawling back toward the old camp, a
distance of eight or ten miles. He passed the abandoned wagons on the
way, where he found a dog belonging to the party. It took him four
days to reach the old camp, but once there he found matches, coffee,
and some other articles which helped him to keep alive. The day after
his arrival, he was picked up by Howard's scouts.
Arnold, who had escaped to the brush before Cowan was shot, and had
wandered for four days until finally picked up by Howard's command
near Henry Lake, came along with the troops on the 29th, and remained
with Cowan until their arrival in Bozeman. They were taken by Howard
to near Baronett's Bridge, and then sent down the river.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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