The Victims of Cedar Gulch.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4526, 7 July 1883, Page 1

The Victims of Cedar Gulch.

Philip Barton was one of the adventurous spirits who, in the early days of the gold fever started for California. He was then a young man, and it was rather a love of roving than a desire for gold that led him to join a party of fortune seekers who urged him to go with them. With mules and prairie wagons the party marched drearily over the alkali plains of Kansas and, Eastern Colorado with a flauntingv sign in each wagon of "Pike's Peak or bust," until finally Pike'B Peak was reached. But then, finding they had just commenced their journey, home-sick and disheartened, the adventurers turned about, and with a single word " Busted" painted on the wagons, retraced their Weary steps across the dusty prairies back to the Missouri River. But Philip Barton) who was of another metal, Would 1 not "go back, and with no other companion than his rifle, and with but a scanty supply of provisions, remained among the Main Range. h Having, as I havei said, little'thirst for riches, he did not join any of the other parties that were making their waj- towards California, but lived the life of a solitary huntsman. The feirdi of the forest and the wild animals, then much more common than now, furnished him iwith most of his necessary food. He sold skins occasionally to traders and the meat to passing caravans. In thil way he lived a contented life among the moun> tains an* Valleys of Central Colorado, and when winter began to come on, found his way to the 1 homes of the Unoompahgre Utes.inwhat is now the south-western part of the State. Having by this time adopted many of the Indian customs, he was received with favour, and took up hit winter abode in an Indian village, occupying a hut by himself. He learned the language of bis neighbours, and joined in their simple sports, and listened to their stories and adventures. A dnsky maiden, modest and sweet in disposition, the daughter of a chieftain, won him towards her by her gentleness and beauty. She was called, in the language of her tribe, by a name meaning " Fall of the Leaf," she having been born in autumn. Her endowments wa9 only such as Nature gives; but thry were unalloyed by the vices of civilization The seeon <\ -summer of young Barton's life in the West w*g pasßed in bunting with the friendly Indians, and the next winter, returning to the village, he married the Young Indian princess whose virtues had touched his heart. Then began for them both a life of simple happiness. He had a lore for the freedom of a mountain life, and she had no thoughts beyond caring for him whom she loved.

Burton built himself a cabin inagulcb, or steep valley, at some distance from the Indian tillage. The place had been known by the few white men who liad visited it as "Cedar Gulch," from a few trees that grew in it. Here year after year was passed by the hunter and his bride in a life happy because it had no cares, and contented beoouse its wants were few. A gentle stream flowed down the valley by the door of the cabin, whose waters afforded fish in its season.

Through the summer Phillip Barton went with hunting parties in search of buffalo and other same, leaving his small household without fear in the little cabin. In the winter camp fires of the Tillage and home fireside furnished enjoyment for the loop days. It was a life that the busy inhabitant of the city might have despised as tame and dreary, but that was sufficient to render these simple people happy. A boy was born to them, and he grew up to the age of ten or twelve years, strong and self-reliant. He could catch the fish from the stream near by as well as his elders. His. father, who loved h» gun next to his family, had taught him the use of the rifle, letting him rest its weight, too much for his small arms, on a fallen tree or boulder. Erery year as the father returned to bis home, his love grew for those be found there. It is bard to turn from this peaceful scene, but it was not to last undisturbed.

The father, returning in the automa from a sacceysfal hunt, beard firoip »

endly Indiau that sereral White Bi?er te?, who formed part of an expedition .at had bunted through the aummrr with fctle raecesß,,were now wandering about ridently ready for any deed of robbery r bloodshed. Knowing that the Utes of he White River were of a far more '•rage nature than the Southern tribe, lie felt somewhat anxious for the safety of his family, and on leaving the hunting party, made his way by a shorter cut towards Cedar Gulch. Aa he mounted the last of a row of a rocky summit on his way home he saw the smoke ascending as usual from his cabin ; but, alas ! not this time from the bright fire place, but from the smouldering ashes of his dwelling. Hastening on, with fear in his heart, and yet a hope that his loTedones might have escaped, he came near the site of his cabin. But there hope deserted him, for lying with her face just in the water of the stream that still flowed gently on, he found his wife, with a ballet in her side and the acalp cut from her head by the cruel knife of the Indian marauder. He looked at first in rain for the body of his boy, but found it at last, charred and blafikiin the ruins of the cabin,, with the hands still clasped about a rifle.

Tender, as Barton had always been, and , wrapped up in love for his home, the ' blow seemed more then he could bear, and he showed his anguish at first in bitter burses ending finally in a fit of tears, wrong from his very soul, that bowed him to the ground. But when he rose, he rose a changed man. From that time, on only one, occasion did anyone ever see him show a sign of any feeling but desire for revenge, He collected hastily a band of friendly Indians and pursued the murders. So fierce was the pursuit, animated by the spirit of the leader, that in two days the villianbus band was found, There were seven of the White River TJtes, and they had fled in a northerly direction. Without delay, the pursuing party began the attack, and after a short contest five of the seven were killed or wounded. The other two escaped and could not be found, having taken different directions among the mountains. One of those who was shot down was only slightly wounded, and from him Barton - learned the particulars of the burning of his cabin. The marauding party, not being strong enough to .attack the village, had come upon the lonely dwelling, and had attempted to enter it, to steal what food it might contain. The wife, however, bad barred the door and would not yield. When threats were made she prepared to

iefend the cabin, and the hoy took the rifle, and resting it as he bad been ( taught, fired through a hole between the locs of the oabin. So well did he use his rifle that two of the band which had originally numbered nine, were shot down and were carried off dead by their com-

panions, Incensed by this loss, the viU fains went to the rear of the honse, and collecting leaTes and placing them agaiust the building, set fire to them. Nothing could drive this boy from the cabin, but the mother was shot in attempting to escapo. The one instance in which the hunter showed emotion, after the day in which lie discovered his loss, was when he was told of the heroism of his son. He learned br artifice, from the wounded, the names of the Tillage of the two Indians who had escaped, and then he buried his knife in the heart of his informant.. From that time he pursued with a relentless energy his purpose of completing his revenge. With reckless courage he sought out the Indian Tillage, of which he had been told. and there waited with wonderful patience till a sure opportunity should arise of striking the blow. For. weeks he bid in the hills sear the Tillage, suffering the* greatest privations, but at length he en • countered one of those he sought, at a distance from any hut, and shot him to the heart. Not long after the last one of the band also fell by a bullet from his rifle. Then he seemed.to care no more ft life, and yet he passed through all his dangers, without harm, and was. contented to lire away from every dne in the solitude of the mountains. He did not return to live among those with whom he bad found his wife, but built himself a cabin on the eastern slope of the Main Range. It was his cabin that I saw near the mining camp where I lived, and it was there that he had been found ten years before by the miners who washed the river bottoms and searched the hills for gold, without a thought for the rich silver deposits which were, afterward to be discovered on the same ground. The miners who first knew of the inhabitant of the lonely cabin, and had heard part of his story, called him " Cedar Gulch," from the place where bis companion had been, and, by that name only was he known, and'that'name was used for the camp that afterwards sprung up near the spot. The lonely hunter, grown prematurely old and gray, was found one morning dead in his cabin, and the miners, looking about the room, discovered, besides bis own trusty weapon, a rifle with a charred stock that looked as though it had been used in the midst of a fire.