New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-02-02

hs.s ,he ANIMALS ,broueh brars and bushes till what lii
lie clothing / had torn into ribbons brought the
animals 10 camp in the morning. and had to watch them
iii thew were ready 10 start, and one more wild than
the rest ran of must chase and bring him back, and
hon be Knocked down by the savage chief for my want OF
skill. When al we're ready 70 sail, nsa 70 ca'cn anu
Aid not start Immediately compelled 20 pull at the
end of lariat which the Indians would fas.en 10
bush They seemed 20 study every method OF putting me
Exhausted by ncessan toll and suffering and extreme
anguish from my wounds could not work fast the
Indians desired and often when scarcely able stand and
hardly knowing what doing have been required to
do the work Of the strongest man And because of my
ability to accomplish my task satisfactorily, have been
whipped till my flesh Large stones thrown
at me was knocked down and stamped upon by the fe
rocous chief who seemed anxious 20 crush me like worm
beneath bis feet Ny head sometimes fell under the horses
feet and the the Indians would Try TO make the beasts
kick After ali ready for the days journey was
obliged to travel fest the other riding sometimes
rocks ard through BUSHES aching and sore from head
to foot and exposed alike to cold and heat sunshine and
storm
have gone two days at time without tasting food.
The Indians depended hunting for their subsistence
ard sometimes had nothing to eat Inconsistencies
there abundance Of food L received niue OK
nothing-when any game was killed, the lnliahS "oui
tear out the heart liver and entreis and eat hen raw
suffered exceedingly from thirst was not allowed to
drink except while in camp We frequently crossed oeau
tfu streams during the day and would beg the privilege
OF dsrnounting TO quench my thirst But the Indians
woud ALWAYS deny nv request with contempt II was in
vain pointed 10 my parched tongue and head bstered in
the rays of the Nothing could soften them into pity
and ardeny desired death that my to-ents might come
TO an end. -, -,
imagination conceive And ] am at loss TO know
how have lived through the barbarous treatment which
was inflicted upon me- Frequently my feelings were so
OUTRAGED that tempted to kill my nhuman masters
NV Indignation burned particularly against the chief and
thought if could only cut him to pieces could die con
We Travelled every day-we usually started about 10
O'Clock in the morning and halted about four in the morn
81 sba tava Of
the highest hills and stand there gazing in every direction
We always spent the night hill and were thus exposed
to the cold autumn winds we slept on the ground gen
eray without covering When raned the Indians made
a tent of the blankets and wagon sheet they had stolen
from u.s. but was not allowed to take shelter in it, pre-
ferred sleeping outside in the storm.
After my mule had become gentle that could ride il
without being thrown, ii was taken from me and was
obliged travel foot The road which passed
was often very rough and stony and full of thorns My
feet were wounded and bruised till they covered with
blood and greatly swollen But still was obliged to keep
up with the rest of the party, and II fell behind was
beaten till was nearly senseess The Indians often urged
by attempting to ride their horses over me many
mile Of that road is marked with my blood, and many
hill there las echoC d 10 my useless cries.
Travelled thus foot some five or six days After the
party were ready start in the morning the direction OF
the route pointed Out to me- and was required TO go
before the others in order not to hinder them They
ally overlook before Travelled far had always in
tended TO make my escape as found opportu
nifty. never expected to reach any friendly settlement,
ing me die On the morning of the twenty fifth day after
my capture, was sent on in advance as usual | had
eaten breakfast and was very weak but the hope Of
escape now supported me fastened fast could,
and finding a suitable hiding place turned aside aud con
ceaed myself in the bushes After this saw nothing
more of my capors found afterward by the tracks of
the animals that they had searched for they probably
thought would die and therefore took less trouble to find
me. have doubt the next time they pass that way
they will look for my bones
My situation distressing. beyond all descrp-
ton | was alone in Indian country some hundreds
of miles from the nearest friendly settlements.
without food without shelter and almost without cloth
ing NY body was full OF wounds and bruises and my
feet were so swollen that could hardly stand. Wild
beasts were around me, and savages more wild than
beasts roamed on every hand. Winter coming on,
and death in IFS most terrible forms stared me in the
FACET down and thought Of my lonely and exposed
situation But could not weep; my heart too full
Of | remembered the events of the few preceding
weeks The husband of my choice had been murdered,
and was not allowed the melancholy privilege of clos
ing his eyes, and seeing his remains decently inferred
My little property had been stolen and when within
few DAYS march of sympathzing friends, l cap
tured by savoges and after three weeks Of ndescbabe
suflerngs found myself wandering solitary and destitute
in the midst of the wild praires-my cup filled TO
OVERLOOKING, but resolved TO live in hope, if died in
despair.
After remaining three days in the place where first
concealed myself from the Indians went to grove about
half mile distant and built little house of bushes and
grass. Here lived nine days. My only food the
baekbeies which grew the bushes around quenched
my thirst at spring near by. My wounds panied me ex
Ceedngly and wasted 10 mere skeleton Tor want oil
proper nourshment II raned upon me seven nights in
succession and my little house unable to protect
me from the cold storms More than spent sleep
less night perfectly drenched in rain while the wolves
sometimes coming within five steps of me- would make
the woods ring with their ghtful howlings They would
also follow close behind when went to the spring
during the day; expected some time to be devoured by
by them but they great towards, and could easily
frighten them away.
When slept i would dream of seeing tables spread
with an abundance of every kind of food but when |
cd forth my my
would awaken me, and | would find myself weeping
bitterly.
When absent from my house on the twelfth day after
my escape New Mexican traders passed by their
way to the Camanche settlements. Willie standing on
small HILL looking after them in order to be they
not Indians discovered by three or four of the
party who happened TO be some distance behind They
Immediately toward me- and soon understood my
situation They kindly offered to take with them, and
| gladly babe farewell 10 my house in the woods. The
Me1icans put me upon barro and gave blanket
and mems clothing in which dressed myself very
comfortably.
of Camanches, and safe for be by
them, left behind in ravne with the promise that
the Mexcans would return for al night As they did
not fulfill their promise started toward their camp about
midnight while wandering among the bushes Camanche
Indian passed within twenty steps thought was a
captive but fortunately the savage did not
me. threw myself on Che ground and waited for day.
In the morning started again for the camp of the Mex
cans but before reached it was discovered by Of
the trading party who vas herding the animals This
is Puebla Indian Of San Idefonso and is named Juan
Jose To him than TO any other in the party,
owe my present freedom
He told me the camp full Of Camanches, and if
they saw would be impossible for the party 10
me He made me lie down or the ground while he
cred me with dried grass lay here all day and at night
crep forth quench my almost ntOleable thirst Juan
came and broug bread and told not by any
means TO leave my hiding place the next day That day
Jagged slowly along, and could hear the dreaded Ca
manches passing and repassng and shouting to each
other At night Juan returned bringing another blanket
fI-..1 lt,ll ttatI