The Nevada journal., 1854-03-17

atteF MT. mart lett US, as we We're travel
ing, about noon, we saw two Camanch
Indians charging upon US in front, ard a
the same time two others were seen driving
up behind. We were all very much fright
ened, and the Mexican jumped out of tn
wagon and went towards the Indians, il
order, if possible, to gain their friendship.
The mules of our wagon, four in number
coming frightened by the war whoops O
, the savages, turned 1t of the road ant
commenced running as fast as they could
One of them fell down before we had gone
J far and the others were then obliged Il
stop. The Indians now came upon us
and ordered the Mexican to take the mule:
out of the harness. While this was going
on, got out of he wagon looking liz breath
less suspense. After the mules were un
harnessed, the Mexican was stripped O
his clothing, his hands tied behind his
back and ordered to sit down upon the
ground. One of them went behind hirs
and shot him with a gun, while another
stat bbed him several times with a large
butcher knife. His sea p was cut off be-
fore he was dead, and put into large
pot; the hat was then worn by one OF
his murderers. / was stupiied with hor.
ror as gazed on this spectacle and sup
posed that my turn would come next
But the Indians having secured the plunder
of the wagon, mounted us on the mules
and ordered us to 60 with them.
AS left | looked back and saw the
poor Mexican weltering in his blood and
still breathing
We took a northeast direction, and trav-
eled till sunset, when we encamped. Here
the plunder consisting of blankets, bed
ding, clothing, brides, and some money
which had in pocket, was divided among
the indians. Some articles considered
useless were thrown into the tlre. NV
clothing WAS taken away, except barely
enough to cover my person. la the dis
tribution of the captives, the eldest boy,
about II years of age, was claimed by the
chief; | became the property of one of
the others. | should have mentioned that
one of our captors was Mexican, who mad
been stolen from the state of Chihuahua
when an infant. He was now as savage
as the Indians, and claimed the youngest
boy for his prize. The scalp of the Mexi-
can was stretched on a stick and dried by
! the fire.
! After giving us some meat for our sup
per, the Indians began to secure us for the
night. The boys, with their arms tied
tightly behind them, were taken unde.
guard by two of the savages. My feet
were tied together, and | was Obliged to
! lie between the other two. l did not
sleep any during the night fer was afraid
of being killed,
The next Fay we resumed our journey,
and travelled in the same direction. The
bows were mounted on good animals, and
| had bows and arrows. Their faces were
painted Indian fashion, and they looked
like young savages. They appeared to
enjoy this new mode Of life, and were
never tr ated with excessive cruelty. /
was mounted on good horse, but being
obliged to sit astride the animal, the jour.
ney was exceeding y painful.
| had fine head of hair, which | valued
very much, but the chief ordered it to be
cut off was not little mortified in
seeing it decorating the heads of the heart
less savages My head was thus left
entirely unprotected from the intensely hot
! rays Of the sun.
Nothing of interest occurred except re-
peated acts of inhumanity towards me,
until the twelfth day of my capture. At
this time we were joined by two Indian
men and a squaw. These were ell the
Indians saw till after my escape. Up to
this time my sufierings had been so severe
as to take from me all desire to live, but
now they were greatly increased. The
sGuaw, from whom might have expected
some compassion, was evidently the cause
of the new cruelty which l now began to
experience.
NV horse was taken from me, and was
mounted on an unbroken mule without a
bride. had a saddle, but it was worn
out and good for nothing except to tortue
me. This animal would frequently toss
me over its head of its own accord, but
not being wild enough to crafty the NAL
ice of the Indians. the chief would some
times shake the Mexican's scalp before its
ewes. The beast would then rear and
plunge in the utmost fright, and | would
be thrown upon the ground with great
r violence. I have been tossed from the
mules back as many as half dozen times
day, and once l was stunned so that
Law considerable time before my senses
returned My repeated falls greatly anus
ed the Indians, whose horr;d peals ol
, laughter might have been heard great
, distance.
, never saw them exhibit the first sign
) of pity towards me. 1t made no difference
how badly was hurt, if 1 did not rise i'm
, mediately and mount the animal which
kad just thrown me, they would apply
, their riding whips, or gunsticks, or the END
t of a lariet, to my unprotected body with
: the greatest violence. The squaw wouli
5 also help me to rise by wounding me with
e the point of spear which she carried
;. You may understand one object the In
vw7Ilf