"Living by the Puckatul"

This is the only place where one can safely cross for a hundred miles up-stream or down. There are sand traps and Quick sands everywhere.

Many wagons, horses and other animals that have disappeared on the Puckatula. And I am sure men have lost their lives there also.  The Puckatula is a quiet place, almost like a grave yard. You never hear a bird sing or a coyote call, around there!  

Here on the banks of the Puckatula, a trading post was built, by who? no one seems to know. People going east or west come through here and Indians come to trade their blankets and beads. Thousands will pass through here each year, but few will stay very long, There are many bad stories told about this place.

This is a place where the Devil and Death often meet. One person said: their little dog went to drink from the Puckatula and was never seem again. You will hear bad stories from here to there and back again. If there is anything that will strike fear in ,a person, it is talk about the Puckatula.

At one time, there were signs that said: “Warning” follow the wagon trail. Don’t go off the trail. Warning, stay on the path and live! Danger, stay on the wagon path! One small step could be the last for you.  But the signs kept disappearing, they say the Devil took them!

St Louis is 2000 miles to the east and California is some where in the west,  Are you sure you want to go there? Have you wondered why some people are going back east, 

They say there is a land in the west that has boiling water in ponds, water that squirts high in the air, and bears that will come to greet you there. There are hungry animals every where and some will eat  you. You had better bring along a big, big can of mace, You will have to buy it in St, Louis, as the trading post doesn’t stock it.

It takes a big can for some of them prehistoric animals. But the small ones are the most dangerous and you will need to be a fast runner. Some of those big guys will eat you even while you are in your car. There is one thing that will stop them in their tracks and that is Chocolate, but most people will have eaten it all up before they get there!

Now tell me? why are you driving a car way out here? There are no gas stations, no roads and no road signs any were in this country. Are you just one of them people that want to show off and let people know that you own a car?

If you make it to the eastern slopes of the, Yellow Tail Mountains, than that means that you didn’t have to do battle with the Sioux Indians, Maybe you were just lucky and the tribe went to South Dakota to hunt Buffalo. 

Now, if you are at the eastern sloops of the Yellow Tail Mountains, You have to make a decision. Do you want to go South and West to California? You will find more Indians if you go that way.  The Comanche and Apache are all over the place and they are mean and the worst of the bad.

If you were going to look for gold in California, it is all gone. The Prospectors all went to the Yukon or the Black Hills in S. Dakota’s. Yes there are Indians, all over the place.

If you decide to head for Oregon or Washington State, keep an eye out for The Big Foot. You are in his country and I should give you ladies a warning. If a Big Foot gets you and gives you a hug, the wrinkles will never go away.

There is beautiful country no matter which way you go, If you get close to a place called, the Shinbone country, stop at the Three Feathers National Park and see the statue of Three Feathers.

It has been said that Three Feathers was an old Indian that lived to be around 112 years in age.  He had left the tribe to go out in the hills to die. The white men seen him and surrounded him and there was a battle. But before The old guy was killed, He had almost annihilated the white man. 

You might run into a bus load of Nicotinic Indians from Virginia. They are having a special, on Bus trips, and they are traveling to a number of places around the country.  Yes, the Indians want us to give the land back to them. They are looking to see which parts they want returned to them.

You have to remember, the guns are still smoking at wounded knee and the FBI have agents everywhere.  They just found three men and five women, in the Bad Lands, All were missing their scalps. 

Beer trucks are parked along the highways, they want to unload the trucks at White Clay in Nebraska, but the FBI has the road blocked.  

Knives have been sharpened and tomahawks are ready and the fire has been lit and the Indians are dancing around and hollering. 

Send your Squaw back to her Tee Pee, get yourself dressed, you are going to be in charge at this excange !!

By: Ben R. 

March  19, 2013