The darky had exercised caution
and corded the six ox-yokes against the front wheel of the wagon in
such a manner as to form a barrier, using the spaces between the
spokes as port-holes. As he never varied his position under the wagon,
the Indians had aimed at his flash, and during the rather brief fight
twenty arrows had buried themselves in that barricade of ox-yokes.
The trail of the beeves was taken at dawn. This made the fifth
stampede of the herd since we started, a very unfortunate thing, for
stampeding easily becomes a mania with range cattle. The steers had
left the bed-ground in an easterly direction, but finding that they
were not pursued, the men had gradually turned them to the right, and
at daybreak the herd was near Elm Creek, where it was checked. We rode
the circle in a free gallop, the prairie being cut into dust and the
trail as easy to follow as a highway. As the herd happened to land on
our course, after the usual count the commissary was sent for, and it
and the remuda were brought up. With the exception of wearing hobbles,
the oxen were always given their freedom at night. This morning one of
them was found in a dying condition from an arrow in his stomach. A
humane shot had relieved the poor beast, and his mate trailed up to
the herd, tied behind the wagon with a rope. There were several odd
oxen among the cattle and the vacancy was easily filled.
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