The Covered Wagon | Page 8

Liberty contingent, who rose at length.
"What Cap'n Wingate has said sounds all right to me," said he. "He's a
new friend of mine--I never saw him till two-three hours ago--but I
know about him. What he says about the Santa Fé fashion I know for
true. As some of you know, I was out that way, up the Arkansas, with
Doniphan, for the Stars and Stripes. Talk about wagon travel--you got
to have a regular system or you have everything in a mess. This here,
now, is a lot like so many volunteers enlisting for war. There's always a
sort of preliminary election of officers; sort of shaking down and
shaping up. I wasn't here when Cap'n Wingate was elected--our wagons
were some late--but speaking for our men, I'd move to ratify his
choosing, and that means to ratify his regulations. I'm wondering if I
don't get a second for that?"
Some of the bewhiskered men who sat about him stirred, but cast their
eyes toward their own captain, young Banion, whose function as their
spokesman had thus been usurped by his defeated rival, Woodhull.
Perhaps few of them suspected the _argumentum ad hominem_--or

rather _ad feminam_--in Woodhull's speech.
Banion alone knew this favor-currying when he saw it, and knew well
enough the real reason. It was Molly! Rivals indeed they were, these
two, and in more ways than one. But Banion held his peace until one
quiet father of a family spoke up.
"I reckon our own train captain, that we elected in case we didn't throw
in with the big train, had ought to say what he thinks about it all."
Will Banion now rose composedly and bowed to the leader.
"I'm glad to second Mr. Woodhull's motion to throw our vote and our
train for Captain Wingate and the big train," said he. "We'll ratify his
captaincy, won't we?"
The nods of his associates now showed assent, and Wingate needed no
more confirmation.
"In general, too, I would ratify Captain Wingate's scheme. But might I
make a few suggestions?"
"Surely--go on." Wingate half rose.
"Well then, I'd like to point out that we've got twice as far to go as the
Santa Fé traders, and over a very different country--more dangerous,
less known, harder to travel. We've many times more wagons than any
Santa Fé train ever had, and we've hundreds of loose cattle along. That
means a sweeping off of the grass at every stop, and grass we've got to
have or the train stops.
"Besides our own call on grass, I know there'll be five thousand
Mormons at least on the trail ahead of us this spring--they've crossed
the river from here to the Bluffs, and they're out on the Platte right now.
We take what grass they leave us.
"What I'm trying to get at, captain, is this: We might have to break into
smaller detachments now and again. We could not possibly always

keep alignment in four columns."
"And then we'd be open to any Indian attack," interrupted Woodhull.
"We might have to fight some of the time, yes," rejoined Banion; "but
we'll have to travel all the time, and we'll have to graze our stock all the
time. On that one basic condition our safety rests--grass and plenty of it.
We're on a long journey.
"You see, gentlemen," he added, smiling, "I was with Doniphan also.
We learned a good many things. For instance, I'd rather see each horse
on a thirty-foot picket rope, anchored safe each night, than to trust to
any hobbles. A homesick horse can travel miles, hobbled, in a night.
Horses are a lot of trouble.
"Now, I see that about a fourth of our people, including Captain
Wingate, have horses and mules and not ox transport. I wish they all
could trade for oxen before they start. Oxen last longer and fare better.
They are easier to herd. They can be used for food in the hard first year
out in Oregon. The Indians don't steal oxen--they like buffalo
better--but they'll take any chance to run off horses or even mules. If
they do, that means your women and children are on foot. You know
the story of the Donner party, two years ago--on foot, in the snow.
They died, and worse than died, just this side of California."
Men of Iowa, of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, began to nod to one another,
approving the words of this young man.
"He talks sense," said a voice aloud.
"Well, I'm talking a whole lot, I know," said Banion gravely, "but this
is the time and place for our talking. I'm for throwing in with the
Wingate train, as I've said. But will Captain Wingate let me add even
just a few words more?
"For instance, I would suggest that we