Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-05-18
THE ARIZONA CAPTIyES.
MRS. PAGES NARRATIVE.

MRS. PAGES NARRATIVE.
A correspondent writing to the st. Louis
RepuBhcan from Tubac, April ., gives a
statement made by Mrs. Page Of her eaptiv-
ity and suffering among the Apaches. We
extract the following
II had been married but little over two
months, and was living with my husband,
Mr.. J. II. Page, in rude cabin at the
mouth Of the grand canon leading to the
ninerv of the Santa Rita mountains. Our
family consisted of myself and husband. a
LITTLE Mexican girl eleven years of age, Mi
sare Kirkland, and Mr.. William Randall,
who was engaged with my husband in the
lumber business.
ION the morning Of the 10th Of March,
after an early breakfast, my husband left US
at camp for the purpose Of putting some
Mexicans to work, and Nj. Randall going
out to kill a deer, Mislre and myself were
left quite alone. As it was washing day,
had started to procure some water, when the
little girl screamed and said the Apaches
were on US. They came up in a run. Having
q six-sh0Oter (C0lt' revOlver) in my hand,
turned to fire at them, but they were already
so close that before | could pull the trigger
they had rushed upon me and secured the
weapon. They then proceeded to plumber,
Selling on everything they could carry OIL
-four, blankets, clothing, Sc. and not
satisfied with this, they destroyed the bal
ance. We hallooed and screamed for assist
ance, but the Indians struck me with their
lances, and told us to keep quiet, or they
would kill us. They packed up what they
could take, and marched us off, hand In
hand, in a hurried and barbarous manner.
After proceeding thus for quarter Of
mile they separated US, in order to prevent
our talking together, the little girl being
little in advance Of me.
"N had proceeded thus about sixteen
miles, as nearly as my limited ideas Of dis
lance will enable me to Judge, and | now
Jagged behind so much that my savage cap
tors grew impatient, and resolved to kill me.
They stripped me Of my clothing, including
NV shoes. and left me but a single garment.
They then thrust their lances at me, inhcting
eleven wounds in my body; threw me over
ledge Of rocks, or preclplce, some sixteen or
eighteen feet high, and hurled large stones
after me to make sure Of their victim, and
then left me, supposing that | must die, and
to- barbar0u5 to end my misery by entirely
extnguishiug the spark Of life. THIS occurred
near sunset. | had nine lance wounds in
my back. and two in my arm, and my head
was cut in several places by the rocks which
were thrown after me, but most Of the latter
glanced without striking me.
Il had alighted on a bank Of snow, almost
in a state Of nudity, and in a senseles5 condi-
ton In counting up my camping places
before reaching home, | think | must have
laid there in q state of Inconsistencies nearly
three days. When | recovered took some
snow and put on my wounds | recOllecJed
the direction travelled and position of the
sun from camp at sunset, and with these
guides started for home My feet gave out
the first dlv, and | was compelled to crawl
the most of the distance. | did not dare to 20
down % the foot of the mountain for fear |
could find no water, and was therefore COM
PEELED to keep in the steep and rocky noun
tain. Sometimes after crawling up a steep
ledge, labOring hard for half a day, would
lose my footing and slide down lower than
the place from which | started. As | had 10
fire, and no clothing, | suffered very much
from the cold. | was at point said 10 be
six thousand feet above the sea, and only
wonder that | did not freeze. | scratched
holes in the sand at night IN which to sleep,
and before / could travel was obliged every
day t. wait for the sun to warm me up.
travelled what | could every day, and in the
meantime had to sUbsist on grass alone. On
the fourteenth day | reached camp Of some
w3rkmen in the pIncry, which was unten-
antad. There found a little food. and some
-four which had been spilled on the ground
The fire was not quite out. and | kindled it
up,-scraped up some Of the -four and made
me a little cake, the first food | had tasted
since | left home. | was now near the work
men in the VIuery, and within two miles Of
my home, but was too weak to % on.
could hear the men at work, and sometimes
saw them but could not attract their atten-
ton. vt length ! crawlel along 70 the road
over which they must pas and was found
there, and carried home after being out
sixteen days.
TrBAc, April II. ON the 81 day Of the
session, Capt. r. S. EweIl, L. $, arrived in
Tucson, with the little girl who was taken
captive by the Indians with Mrs Page Her
release was effected by an exchange Of pris-
oners. The entrance of the party into Tue
son was siInalled by the most lively demon
STATIONS of Joy. The church bells were
runs, and the populace assembled in the
place. and the little girl, now a heroine III
deed. passed from one to another to receive
their embraces. congratulations, and wei
comes