Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-19
EVENING STAR.
MY DUEL WITH CAPTAIN ELLIOTT.


scarcely done SO when something whizzed past
me. a sharp report was heard, and with q
wild cry Elliott fell at my feet. 1 looked for
an instant behind me, and saw the dark coun
tenances of half dozen Mexicans as they pre-
pared to reload their pieces, and then fed
into the chapparal, tarrying no longer ques-
tions On, on l sped; this way and that
way, through the tangled thicket, tripping
my feet on long trailing vines, scratching my
hands on thorns, until completely worn out, /
climbed up lofty tree and hid myself upon
| its leafy branches. Here / remained for sew
| eral hours, and heard my pursuers crashing
| through the underwood, shouting, swearing,
calling to each other , but gradually the
| sounds died away, the chase seemed to be
given up, and was left alone in that wild
| unbroken solitude.
| "The afternoon was far advanced when,
driven partly by hunger, partly by the dread
of passing the night in the chapparal, ven
tured to descend from my leafy covert, where
the mosquitoes had made feast of me, and
the monkeys had chattered at me with their
strange, mocking gestures By the aid of my
pocket compass, found my way back to the
clearing whence had so suddenly departed.
After carefully accommodating, to see that
none of my Mexican friends were lingering
near, Ito this day suspect that young woman
of having sent them after u.s. / advanced TO
the spot where poor Elliot had fallen.
"He was lying with his face in a pool Of
blood, his hands clutching the grass, his hair
and uniform dabbled in blood, and his fine.
manly form The was one of the finest looking
fellows in the army pierced with three or
four mortal wounds 'Ah, poor fellow poor
fellow " said L, as l stood and gazed upon
him; for though / was rid of mortal enemy,
could not help feeling sorry that so brave
soldier should thus perish like dog, shot
down by an unseen foe. But, thank God
4 4 a.o Late ME- tlx.n
| pleasurable, thank God did not kill HIM
| I" had turned him over on his back, and
as thus stood mOralizing, l thought l per-
ceived his bosom heave placed my hand
| upon his heart, and found that he still lived
AS knelt by him, uncertain what to do. he
| opened his half-glazed eyes, and saw his
parched lips try to form the word water -
My fist impulse was to run to the brock which
| flowed at short distance my next to Stop
short and consider. Should L restore to life
the man who, few minutes before, had been
thirsting for my blood 2 who had hated me all
| his life; who had wrenged me, sighted me-
| and even called me coward No! I would
leave him to the fate which his own rashuess
provoked | turned my back upon him but
suddenly, as if traced with a finger of fire,
| there were borne upon my mind the words of
Holy Writ: If thine enemy hunger, give
him food; If he THIRST, giUe him drink %
And fast upon these came that other Divine
sentence Inasmuch as ye did not unto
these, ye did it not unto Me-
i seized his cap and ran to the brook for
water, with which L mOistensd his psrched
lips and bathed his CORY temples Taking
my case of instruments from my pocket /
| then proceeded to probe his wounds The
Mexioans, L had forgotten to mention, hs
rfed him OF his watch and other valuab!es.
but in tearing open his shirt, | found a small
| locket, suspended from mis- neck by hair
chain, which had escaped their search. L
! opened it. 1t contained his mothers Dor
TRAIT. He Was heI only son, ana oho ,vas 9
| widow.) "Thank God 30 again calculated.
that mothers curse will not light on me. u
What to do with my patient, after having
dressed his wounds, was what puzzled me-
| To remove him myself was impossible; to
| leave him there, exposed to wild beasts, and
to the burning rays Of the sun, after having
| partially restored him to life, seemed cruel
and unnatural; but there was no alternative
Before leaving him, however, l half carried,
| half dragged him into the shade Of a tree
| about hundred yards distant. 1t weuld be
| impossible to describe my sensations when
found myself with ny deadly enemy in nv
arms-the two hearts so lately boiling over
with malice and revenge, and all the darkest
passions of our nature, now throbbing peace
ably against each other; his, poor fellow with
| motion so faint and low as to be scarcely
perceptible.
"Well, | hurried to the encampmant for
| assistance, and soon had him conveyed thither
in safety For many weeks he lay lowering
between life and death; for the pain Of his
wounds, which were very severe the loss Of
blood, and the exposure TO the sun, brought
on brain fever, and nothing but the most un-
remitting care and attention saved his life
He bore his suferlngs with noble endurance,
which is true heroism, and which, let me tell
you, is much rsrer article than mere COURAGE
in the field. In fact, he displayed during
his sickness so many admirable ouaIities.
that 1t was mystery to me how / could
have mistaken his character SO completelv
Whether 1t was owing to this, or to my hav-
ing done hlia service, L cannot tell; but in
sensibly the hatred all melted from my heart,
and in its stead sprang up feeling of strong
regard for him. Curious, wasn't it?
But Wnetner this feeling was reciprocated
or not, knew not; for, although his manner
toward me was peculiarly soft and gentle, and
his eyes would light up when / approached
his couch, he remained as taciturn as ever,
AMI never made any allusion to the subject
OF our quarrel. felt little piGued at his
silence; for could not help thinking that my
having savea nun Ir3in a miserable death de-
served AZ lost a few words Of acknowledge
pent. Moro than once he seemed on the
point of brosching the subject but he appear
cd to be waiting for me to begin il, and of
course, waited for him.
"At last, he wa. so far recovered that my
professional services were no longer required
As rose to take leave at my last visit, sig
nified as much to him, ana added
Am l to understand, Captain Elliott, that
we return to the same footing as we were on
befere?''
The same footing? God forbid" he ex-
claimed, with suddel earnestness that sur
prised me,
" Because" continued 1, eff you wish to
anish the quarrel so inOpportuneIy intsrrup-
ted, you will find me ready at any time"
do you wish TO renew that unhappy Quar-
relH' asked ne, an expression Of deep disap-
pOintment overspreading his countenance.
"WhO, |? Most certainly net," said L,
"but you demanded satisfaction, Captain
Elliott, and until that demand is withdrawn,
must, of course, hold myself in readiness 10
grant it"
81 withdraw it now" said he, speaking
very quick 81 ask your pardon fog my rash