Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-01-04
9ailg Tir9iaiau.
Thrilling Adventure.

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Thrilling Adventure.
by a Buckeye boy im the Wild South West-- Erpe-
rie,,ces eta California Oceriand Emigrdnt Com
pdny- Rattle rith the L,didas-- DtsastroMs ne-
fcdt-- Hunger and 7hirsf.
We are permitted TO publish tho following ve-
ry Interesting letter front an adventurous young
gentleman, whose experience among the Indians
Of the South West has been somewhat rcmnr kablc,
addressed to his father, n well-known citizen Of
Colerinn township Of this county. The letter,
aside from it's interest as n story of wild adven-
tures, ia Of sono Importance, ns It contains news
OF considerable significance, and 10 entirely relia-
BILE Gin, Com.
San ANTONIO, TEAAs,
December 9th, 1858.
You know it was about the first Of April last
that left the States bound for California, with
M emigrant train. When we arrived ut Albuquer-
que. New Mexico. which was some time in ,lunel
wrote to you informing you that it was our intcu-
tion to take thence TO San Bernardno. California,
Lieut. Bcae's lately explored route, being advised
to do no by tho government officers at this place,
they stating il to be the sniest and best route. We
accordingly took it, employing an old Mountain
Ger ns guide, We found the most beautiful and
romantic mountain scenery. and In places aboun-
ding in game. | had my own sport hunting,
climbing to tho tops Of lofty mountains and other
wild adventure. A party ofsix. including my
self, ascendod 10 tho summit Of n mountain over
two miles high. Proud were our feelings ns we
thus stood above the clouds; above oterual snow.
and prouder still were our feelings as we thought
that In all probability we were the first white
men that ever stood on ito summit
We arrived safely and without much difficulty
at tho Colorado river. the boundary line between
Now Mexico and California; and here, while al
most in sight our nnticpations If soon bcingi n
the Golden State were doomed to be disnppont-
ed"
On this river there is n largo tribo of Indians
called tho "Moha,o." At first they treated ms In
30 friendly u manner that We anticipated no dan
ger::rrom them But on tho afternoon Of tho third
day, while we were hcrding tho stock aud con-
structinE q raft to cross the river attack
oil by four hundred warriors. whom bloody fight
ensued. For over three long hours we fought
them with desperation and repelled them. Du-
ring this time they killed eight Of our purity. and
wounded sixteen, some dangerously, but none fa.
tally; they nlso suffered severely We killed about
thirty. or our killed two were women, n mother
and daughter; two chidren; tho rest wero mcn..-
There was but few that escaped unhurt, and
WINS so fortunate M to hn one ot the number But
thut did escape seemed almost miraculous, Tor
in a dozen incidents my' clothes were touched aud
my person grazed by their deadly missiles, They
took all our stock except five horses and ten oxen;
with these wc made out to take iyo wagons, into
which we put the wounded aud wha, little pro-
vision we had left everything clso we left but the
clothes on our back. - e.
We commenced our retreat in The night. Old
and young, women and children, fron, the two
yenr old babe IN, surrounded by blood thirsty, In
fernal. yelling snyncea; expecting every moment
thev would no on us min niterin their unenrth.
ly yells awful! awful ! Ia hear.
But II seemed their vcnsrnncc was fully elu,tol
with what they had nlrra,ly DONE and were cnn
blel to cscape in safctp. ! assyro vou all that II
Ia - r.
when we rctrcated bach some thirty miles with
stsrynton already stari,,, ia in the face wc han.
niIv mot ,notber trnin and thew generously sbnr.
sd with us their proyisinns Having but little II
was soon eaten up Then we had nothing but
tho meat of pnor miserable oxen NO poor thcy
could scnrc,lv stand nm.
The eompany we met had also nearly losi their
all On, IF ak Lund,oa head If cattle they had
but little over one hundred left They lost theirs
bv mi.sinr IA watering nlaee. the sto.k diving for
want Of water IL wa. n SORRY sitht To- 500 the
road s,rcwn for milo. with the cnrcasses # ami.
mns some dend and some diving: md cldhinc of
.lnost eycry doacr,tion. and here md there wa.
n wagon loft s,nudn, NJ the cattle gave out In
conseouence of The oxnn being ~, near worn out.
we travelled very slowly. When wo got to tho
Francisco mountain. some two hundred miles from
the river which took NJ over month, we found
II impossible to proceed farther without recruit
ibg tho cattle several weeks.
Our battle mt the river was not our only diff
Guilty with the Indians. After we turned bnck,
for over hundred miles We we're almost constant
" harrassed by "A tribe culIcd tho Casnio: with
them we had several pretty severe skrmishes,
but they generally got the worst Of the warfare.
conld tell YOU many incidents of our forlorn
retreat that would interest You, but oil | could not
tell in many pages One | will relate:
walking ahead Of the train some two miles Wo
tarin nj,