USA > Kansas > The northern tier: or, Life among the homestead settlers > Part 10
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am desirous of submitting to the geologists; but I am en- tirely satisfied of one fact-that this country was a sea in the far-distant past.
The bones of a mastodon were found in Jewell county a few years ago. A few miles south of Concordia, in Cloud county, on Pipe creek, a number of pieces of crockery were found one foot or more under the surface of the ground. Some of the pieces had been neatly and tastefully decorated by cross-lines and a raised border or flange around the rim of the vessel, while other fragments or pieces showed that the vessels of which they formed a part were plain, not showing the ornamental carving. From their appearance the urns, of which these fragments formed a part, were made from a kind of clay found in the bottom of the creek, and dried in the sun, or burned to a proper solidity for use. Whether they were made by the mound builders or a wandering por- tion of the ancient tribes that inhabited Southern Colorado and New Mexico, is a matter of conjecture. A large spear- head made of blue flint was found in the locality where the fragments of crockery were discovered. As there is no stone of that character in this region, it was doubtless imported by a neighboring tribe, or perchance it may have been the weapon of some youthful prince or hero from the village of the mound builders on the banks of the Missouri, on a visit,
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or perhaps wooing a dusky maiden in the tent of a dis- tinguished ruler, in Nature's beautiful grove, long since defaced and destroyed by the winding course and irregular current of the waters of Pipe creek.
This whole region, from the Big Blue river to the western boundary of the State, is a prairie country of surpassing loveliness, with the usual number of groves of timber found in any part of the State.
In addition to the fossil remains and petrifications, the salt marshes and coal formations, the face of the country and landscape scenes present some beautiful views.
The "Twin Mounds," so called, on the head-waters of Elm creek, in Cloud county, consist of two conic elevations higher than the surrounding country, from the summits of which a fine view is had for many miles, overlooking a vast area of undulating prairie, checkered here and there with fields and farm-houses, and from which points a beautiful and extended view is had of the Republican valley.
Just west of Jewell City, in Jewell county, is a high point, from the summit of which a very extensive and beautiful view may be had of the surrounding country. To the north the outlines of the timber and valley of White Rock creek are visible, and to the eastward the timber on Marsh creek and the dim outlines marking the course of the Republican,
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can be seen ; while to the south the timber skirting the Solo- mon is distinctly visible, and far to the southwest the blue, smoky appearance indicates the outlines of the Blue Hills; and directly west from this elevated spot may be seen the bluffs overshadowing the Limestone creek, the most beautiful of the small streams in this region. Below this point, in Jewell county, and stretching away in every direction, is the level or undulating prairie, of fertile soil, rapidly being con- verted into farms, groves and orchards, and dotted with dwellings and school-houses. It is a magnificent view, and ere the surrounding natural scenery is disturbed by the necessities of industry and enterprise it will compensate any pleasure-seeking adventurer to visit that point and view the surrounding country.
On the south bank of White Rock creek, in the north- west part of Jewell county, is an elevation or cone, com- monly called the Chalk Mound, owing to a large amount of the soft, white magnesian limestone on its surface. It is a curiosity, a single elevation rising abruptly from the plain, surrounded with the best of agricultural land. It may be seen from a considerable distance.
In all of the counties through which the Solomon river and its two main branches, the North and South forks, flow, are natural curiosities, among which scientific explorers and
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geological students might readily find specimens of value, and formations that would be interesting. The Blue Hills ; the elevations, commanding extensive views; the limestone formations; the coal formations; the salt marshes; the Great Spirit Spring; the landscape and natural scenery; and last but not least, the extensive tract of valuable agricultural land in Northwestern Kansas-all these distinguish the "Homestead Region " as a peculiarly attractive portion of the State.
CHAPTER 14.
LEW CASSIL, THE TRAPPER.
The wild wanderings and daring exploits of trappers, hunters and scouts on the plains have furnished the basis, real or fictitious, of many of the romances in "yellow-cov- ered " literature, "dime novels" and story contributions in newspapers, while many a bold adventurer has lived and died unknown, save through a brief account of his death related by some friend, or by his name perchance figuring in a list of victims of some Indian massacre.
One among those who have thus perished on the plains of Kansas, and whose name deserves to be embalmed in any truly historic sketch of the Republican and Solomon valleys, was Lew Cassil, the trapper and hunter.
It was late in autumn, and the early frosts of October had touched the leaves of the trees and bushes that grew along Elk creek, near the east line of Cloud county. The evening air was cool and bracing as the sun disappeared behind the western plains, partially obscured by the hazy smoke of an
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Indian summer evening in Kansas. It was the autumn of 1860, when but few settlers had crossed the Blue river.
On a high ridge to the east of Elk creek, overlooking the valley of the Republican, stood a powerfully-developed man, perhaps thirty years of age, dressed in the usual garb of a hunter and trapper, holding in one hand a rifle, while the other caressed the neck of a well-formed, but jaded black horse. The belt around the waist of the hunter contained two large revolvers, while the traps fastened at each end of a rope thrown across the saddle, and the roll of blankets attached to the saddle, showed that the owner was a trapper.
Reader, this is no love story, for there is no woman men- tioned in the entire narrative.
Lew Cassil, for such was the person I have attempted to describe, had traveled on horseback from Southwestern Min- nesota to trap beaver and pursue his love of adventure on the Republican and Solomon rivers.
Below, on the east bank of the creek, stood the small cabin of Moses Heller, who had ventured farther westward in Northern Kansas than any other settler. As the sun sank behind the western horizon, Cassil was in the act of mount- ing his horse and proceeding to the cabin on the bank of the creek, when he discovered a volume of smoke ascending from a point on the west bank about a mile above the cabin; and
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upon closer observation he saw a large body of Indians in camp preparing their evening meal.
"There is deviltry in that out-fit," said Lew, "and afore mornin' they are sartin to steal something from the settler in that cabin, fur it's the natur of an Indian to steal; or I 'low they'll do worse than that-maybe they will kill and scalp the old ones and take the kids prisoners. There's no trustin' a red-skin, accordin' to my knowledge of human na- tur', if they are human, and it is Lew Cassil as has his doubts on that pint. Come, Raven," addressing his horse, "let's go down to the cabin, and while you're fodderin' I'll notify the boss of that crib of the copper-colored countenances that are likely to be peekin' through his winder 'afore mornin', and lend him a helpin' hand, if need be, fur its not in the natur' of Lew Cassil to desert a friend, or leave the cabin of a settler when there is danger near ;" and thereupon he mounted his black horse and rode down to the cabin, where he was met and kindly welcomed by the owner, Mr. Heller.
After an exchange of greetings, and the horse had been provided for, Mr. Heller invited Cassil to enter his cabin and accept his hospitality. Cassil immediately informed his host of the near proximity of the Indians, and offered his ser- vices to assist in defending the cabin should an attack be
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made; but the stalwart settler replied that the Indians had been hunting during the day up the valley, by the report of their guns, and he did not think they would molest him - yet Cassil observed that the settler manifested some anxiety.
When they retired for the night, Cassil persisted in sleep- ing under his blankets near his horse, Raven, as he feared the Indians might steal him during the night. On the fol- lowing morning, after Cassil had eaten breakfast with the hospitable settler, and while they were discussing the location of the streams that flowed into the Republican and Solomon, and the prospect for trapping beaver therein, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by a large band of Indians, who said, through their interpreter, that they wanted to have a talk with the "big man," meaning Heller. They said they wanted him to tell all the white men the boundary line of the Indians' hunting-ground in the Republican and Solomon valleys-that all the country west of a certain line was the hunting-ground of the Indians, and that the whites must not hunt or extend their settlements beyond it.
" Where is that dead-line?" said Cassil to the interpreter.
As near as the interpreter could describe it, it crossed the Solomon, north and south, near the mouth of Pipe creek; thence, by way of the creek, over the divide to the head of
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Wolf creek, in Cloud county; thence down to the Republi- can river; and thence northeast to the mouth of the Big Sandy, in Nebraska.
"Well, Mr. Interpreter, or Ingen, or whatever you call yourself," said Lew, "you tell your copper-colored compan- ions that I am an American citizen, and that my father fit under Jackson at New Orleans; and I intend to trap beaver and hunt on the Republican and Solomon, and don't propose to be hemmed in by any dead-lines, guide-posts or other In- gen humbugs!"
Heller endeavored to check Cassil, but to no avail.
The Indians observed Cassil closely, and one of them be- gan to examine his horse and traps, when Lew, by a trick he had learned his horse, caused him to kick at and bite the In- dian, who narrowly escaped, and as he rejoined his compan- ions he shook his tomahawk and bow at Cassil, as much as to say : "I meet you sometime !"
Cassil continued to trap and hunt during the winter season, and during the summer spent a portion of his time either at Mr. Heller's, Mr. Brooks's, or at the residence of Mr. Haines, then residing at what is now the town of Clifton, working in the field for those men, or scouting in the vicinity when Indian raids were feared, and each autumn going upon his usual buffalo hunt farther westward.
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In the fall of 1862 Cassil was joined, at Clifton, by a trap- per from Illinois, who had an outfit and traps, and soon an attachment existed between them only known and appreci- ated by trappers and hunters. Meantime a few families had settled on Elm creek, a few miles west of Heller's, on the south side of the river. Cassil's companion was a small man, and called by Lew and the settlers, "Little Tim."
Their first adventure, before the trapping season com- menced, was a buffalo hunt on Pipe creek, near the southern boundary of Cloud county. Cassil was mounted on Raven, and Tim on a mule of doubtful disposition. They had man- aged each to bring down a buffalo, and had become separated a distance of some hundred rods, when Tim fired at a bull at close range, wounding him, and at the report of his gun the mule threw Tim over his head. The buffalo made a pass at him, tearing a part of his clothing from his person, when Tim seized the buffalo by the tail and endeavored to draw his hunting-knife, with which to cut the animal's ham-strings. For a few seconds the scene was exceedingly ludicrous, though involving danger. The buffalo reared and plunged, and a part of the time Tim was in the air, and a part of the time on the ground, on his feet. Cassil, seeing his comrade's situation, galloped to his rescue, but when within a few rods of the combatants, Tim succeeded in severing the buffalo's
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ham-strings, and he was then powerless to do any more in- jury, when a shot from Lew's rifle killed him. Tim was ex- hausted and badly bruised, but after an hour's rest, during which Lew could not refrain from outbursts of laughter, as he alluded to Tim's elevated position in the air while holding on to the buffalo's tail, they signaled for their teamster, and proceeded to skin the buffalo they had killed, loaded the wagon with meat, and returned to the settlement.
At one time Cassil and Tim were trapping on the Repub- lican, some miles below the mouth of White Rock creek, and they discovered that their traps had been disturbed, and, from appearances, that beaver had been taken from them. A band of Otoe Indians were known by them to be in camp to the northwest, on White Rock creek, and Lew, suspecting they had disturbed his traps, determined to reconnoiter the position, and at dawn of day quietly proceeded to the vicinity of his traps. He discovered an Indian raise a trap and take therefrom a beaver. The Indian's horse was fastened to a tree a short distance from the Indian, and Lew, quietly and unobserved, approached the horse, unfastened him, detached the rope from the bridle, made a slip-noose at one end, and, secreting himself behind the horse, waited patiently until the Indian approached, when he threw the rope suddenly around the Indian's neck, drawing it tightly, then passed it round
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his body so as to tie his hands behind him, despite the Indian's exertions to free himself. He then ordered the Indian to mount his horse, when Lew tied the legs of the Indian to- gether, passing the rope round the body of the horse in such manner that the Indian could not dismount. When he had securely bound the Indian to his horse he blew a whistle, which brought Tim to the scene.
"Tim," said Lew, "hold this horse while I complete the outfit."
"What are you doing ?" asked Tim.
"This 'ere redskin has been sowin' his wild oats in our trappin' ground, and I propose now he shall harrow them in."
Thereupon Lew cut a bush with the Indian's hatchet, and proceeded to fasten it to the horse's tail, much to the annoy- ance and grievance of the animal, that manifested its dis- pleasure by divers attempts to kick and bite its tormentors, despite Tim's exertions to steady the craft. When Lew had completed the task of securely attaching the bush to the tail of the horse, he told Tim to turn the head of the animal to the northwest, in the direction of the Indian camp, and " let him rip." The horse reared and plunged, and elevated his hind feet as he sped onward over the prairie, while the In- dian swayed to and fro like a cottonwood sapling in a hurri-
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cane, and Lew and Tim alternately laughed and yelled with the fullest measure of enjoyment at the ridiculous scene, as the horse and rider passed beyond their vision. Lew sup- pressed his laughter long enough to indulge in sundry ex- pressions, such as, "Hold on, redskin; harrow them oats in good, and maybe they'll grow!"
"Tim," said Lew, "we will now have to pack our traps and git out of this 'ere neck of woods, for I 'low when that 'ere horse and redskin gits into camp there will be a rumpus, and afore night they'll be down here after our scalps." They therefore packed their traps and proceeded down the river, killing an elk in the timber near where the city of Concordia now stands.
Trapping proving unprofitable, in the spring of 1864 Tim gave his traps to Cassil and went to the Missouri river towns to engage in freighting across the plains to the mountains. Cassil continued to hunt and scout for the settlers during the summer and autumn season, and during the following winter engaged in trapping.
While trapping during the winter of 1865 and 1866, on the Republican river below the mouth of White Rock creek, he discovered that his traps had been molested, and he kept a sharp watch of them, until finally one morning, at dawn of day, he saw an Indian raising one of his traps. In the opin-
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ion of Cassil, it then and there became necessary, for the welfare of the frontier and trappers generally, that that In- dian should "pass in his checks" for the happy hunting- ground, and he passed them in-how, it is needless to men- tion. It was apparent to Cassil that the Indian must be concealed, in order, as Lew expressed it, "to throw the bal- ance of the tribe off the trail," and as the Indian lay on the ice at the edge of a drift, it was but the work of a moment for Cassil to roll a large log from the top of a drift that fell on the ice with such force as to break and sink a large cake of it, and he then dragged the lifeless form of the Indian to the opening thus made in the ice, plunged the body into the water, and the current bore it away under the ice. Cassil then placed the Indian's gun in such position on the ice near the log as to indicate that the deceased had been sitting on the log on the pile of drift, and that the log had fallen, break- ing the ice and drowning the unfortunate redskin. Cassil then hastily packed his traps, and concealing his tracks, pro- ceeded down the river to the settlements. In a few days the Indians came down the river searching for their comrade, and inquired of Cassil and of the settlers if they had seen such an Indian as they described. Lew had kept his own secret, and of course no one had seen the missing Indian; but the tribe, for some reason unknown to the settlers, were sus-
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picious that Cassil was in some manner connected with his disappearance.
In the autumn of 1866, Cassil, a son of Mr. Haines, and an immigrant whose name is unknown, went on a buffalo hunt on Brown's creek, in Jewell county, and were there joined by two sons of William Collins, then residing on Wolf creek, in Cloud county. They were attacked by In- dians on the head-waters of Buffalo creek, and had a run- ning fight for several miles. Their trail showed that they made a stand and fought on Buffalo creek, as there were in- dications of a lively fight having taken place at that spot; an Indian's head-band containing feathers was found near spots of blood on the grass.
From there the trail gave evidence of a desperate running fight to a grove of timber on Little Cheyenne creek, where Cassil and his companions were ambushed and the entire party killed -not one was left to tell the sad tale. Their bodies, horribly mutilated, were found several days after the massacre by a party of friends led by Capt. Brooks, and con- veyed to Clifton, where they were properly buried.
The scene of the massacre showed that a desperate fight had taken place. In one of Cassil's hands when found was his empty revolver, in the other several cartridges, as though the last death-grip had clutched them and had not been re-
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laxed, although he had been killed several days previous, showing that he had made a brave defense to the last. The fact that the Indians only took the horses, leaving the wagon and the revolver in the lifeless grasp of Cassil, was evidence that they had suffered a heavy loss in killed and wounded, whom they hastily conveyed away.
Thus perished Lew Cassil, as noble and brave a hunter and trapper as ever traversed the Western plains; and the first settlers of the Republican valley will verify the asser- tion that beneath this deer-skin garb beat as warm and noble a heart as ever responded to the appeals of humanity. Pas- sengers on the C. B. U. P. Railway, some twelve miles west of Concordia, can see from the car windows the grove wherein, in the fall of 1866, fell Lew Cassil, the trapper.
CHAPTER 15.
CUNO VAN TANSY.
" When, in the course of human events," a boy has cast off his juvenile raiment, passed the meridian of his teens, and donned men's clothes, it makes but little difference to him whether he was born in an almshouse, or in a log cabin in the wilderness-whether his respiratory organs were first in- flated with the noxious vapors of a garret or tenement house in a city, or with the pure mountain air which whistles through the crevices of a "dug-out" on the frontier.
If he have pluck, energy and moral courage, he starts out in the world with the consoling idea that the world owes every man a living, provided the creditor renders value received for that living. As the success or failure of every youth de- pends largely upon the culture, treatment and training re- ceived under the parental roof, the varied events in the life of every individual, whether happy or unhappy, may be traced, either directly or indirectly, to the treatment received, the examples exhibited and the care bestowed by those who have in charge the youthful destiny. I am not a moralist,
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in the sense in which that term is usually employed, but I maintain that the wayward career of a majority of young men, after they reach the age of manhood, is largely attribu- table to those who have the care, culture and training of the youthful mind.
The stern and rigid rule that forbids a boy attending a theater or other places of innocent amusement, sooner or later makes an unfavorable impression upon his mind, and preju- dices him against those who are the cause of his being de- prived of privileges enjoyed by his young companions, and when he arrives at maturity he is liable to go to extremes in his desire to make up time lost during the pleasure-seeking, fun-loving years of his boyhood.
I am unable to give a minute account of the early life of the subject of this sketch, owing to the fact that my infor- mation has been collected at intervals, in detached portions, which I much regret, as his name appears on the Land-Office records as having been extensively engaged, either actually or supposably, in that mysterious practice in the land busi- ness, of filing on claims under a great variety of aliases.
When and where Cuno Van Tansy first saw the light of day is a mystery. Whether the infant cries and spasmodic kicking were appeased by gentle caresses and soothing min- istrations of an affectionate mother, or whether, as a waif,
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unknown and unclaimed, he was consigned to the uncharita- ble care and rough handling of some hired nurse in an alms- house, is wholly unknown. His name implies that he was one of those unfortunate beings who from their advent into the world are destined thenceforth to have no knowledge of their parentage, and doubtless Van Tansy received his name through some freak of fancy of the nurse who had the care and custody of him at the time of the important event which ushered him into the world. Perhaps the person who per- formed the task of inclosing him in the first raiment that shrouded his delicate person, like the one who did that duty for Oliver Twist, may have stimulated her exertions with the contents of a "green bottle," containing, not London beer, but the American beverage known as "Tansy bitters," which circumstance may have suggested to her clouded mind the surname of her helpless charge. Be that as it may, some one, without his knowledge or consent, bestowed upon him the name of Cuno Van Tansy.
I have had a difficult task to gather correct information of his early life, but, after diligent search, have ascertained the following brief outline of his infancy and boyhood :
From the first day of his existence he was obliged to draw his rations (consisting of bovine lacteal fluid) from a bottle, through a goose-quill wrapped with soiled linen, thrust into
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his tender mouth by an impatient nurse. He developed slowly under such treatment, and his existence at times de- pended largely upon the efforts of nature. When he was a small boy his appetite rebelled against the restraint of penu- rious guardianship, and became less manageable as he grew older. ยก His tastes hesitated between the unripened fruit in the neighbors' gardens and orchards, and the transient pies and cake on the upper shelf of the musty pantry of the domicile in which he was reared. Not that he was by na- ture inclined to appropriate the property of others to his own use, but his appetite overpowered his juvenile judgment touching the debatable questions of right and wrong, and he considered himself a tenant in common as to orchards and melon patches.
At the age of ten years, on the morning of the Fourth of July, having secured possession of a bunch of fire-crackers, he ignited a match, and, applying it to the entire bunch, threw them at the feet of his maternal guardian. As soon as order was restored, Cuno suffered the penalty of his ad- venture, which consisted in his being confined in that part of the attic overlooking the street, containing a small window, from which he could see, with longing eyes, processions with bands of music, and his youthful companions making merry on Independence Day.
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