, 1860-05-10

| NARRATIVE or MRS. LARsENA i. PAGE
had been married but little oyer two months,
| and WIS living With my husband, Mr. J. Il. Page,
| il d rude cabin at the mouth Of the grand canon
leading to the plnery Of The Santa Rita Noun
] taius. Our family consisted Of myself and hus-
band, a little Mexican girl, eleven years Of age,
Misare kirkland, and Mr. VIM. Randall, who
YVES engaged with my husband in the lumber
business.
On the morning of the 18th Of March, after
m early breakfast, my husband left us at camp
for the purpose Of putting tome Mexicaus to
work, and Mr. Randall going out to kill deer,
Misare and myself were left quite alone. As
it was washing day. had started to procure
some water, when the little girl screamed and
said tue Apachcs were on us. They came up
III a run. Having six shooter (Colt's Re
ro1yer) in my hand, turned to fire at them, but
they were already 50 close that before could
pull the trigger they had rushed upon me and
Fecured the weapon. lbey then proceeded to
plunder, seiziug on every thing they could car
~ of-h0ur, blankets, clothing, DC; and, not
Satisfied with this, they destroyed the balance
We ha!looed and screamed for assistance, but
the Indians struck me with their lances. and
told US to keep quiet, or they would kill us.
marched US of, hand-in hand, in 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.
Wetraycled thus ali day, over very rocky
and mountainous road, penetrating deeper and
deeper into the mountain, snd finally almost
reaching 1.-THE summit. Having suffered much
from recent attacks of fever and ague, was in o
very cnfeebled condition, totally inadequate for
the fatigues Of such journey; and my inability
to trayel at the speed which they desired was the
cause Of my receiving the most brutal treatment
at their hands. They several times pointed six-
SIMMER at m hAA6 M ynnrFr IN 4hntr rru
fate was already decided upon, and that was to
be made victim Of savage barbarity. The little
girl, who Was ahead, would occasionally fall back
crying, and tell me that the Indians were going
to Kill me. They spoke but little Spanish, yet
enough was understood to awaken my fears and
strength, which was rapidly failing, would admit
Of my proceeding but little further, and that un-
less my husband and other parties were following
to rescue us, I must fail victim as soon as my
strength entirely failed.
We had proceeded thus about sixteen miles,
as nearly as my limited ideas Of distance will
enable me to judge, and I now Jagged behind
so much that my sarage captors grew impa-
tient, and resolved to kill me- They stripped
me Of my clothing, including my shoes, and left
me but single garment. They then thrust
their lauces at me, inaictipg eleven wounds in
1ny body, threw me over ledge OF rocks, or
precipico, some sixteen o. eighteen feet high,
and hurled large stones after me to make sure
Of their victim, and then left me, supposing that
l must die, and too barbarous to end my mise
n BY entirely extinguishlng 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 that
were thrown after me, but most Of 1he latter
glanced without striking me.
had alighted on bank Of snow, almost in
a state Of nudity, aud in senseless condition.
In counting up my camping places before reach
ing home. l think must hare laid there in a
state Of unconscIousness for nearly three days.
When came to l took some SNOW and put
on my wounds. I recollected the direction |
travelled, and the position Of the sun from
camp at sunset, md with these guides |
started for home. Ny feet gaEe out the first |
day, and was compelled to crawl the most Of |
the di tance. did not dare to 60 down to tile |
water, and was therefore compelled to keep in |
the steep and rocky mountains. Sometimes,
after crawling up Il steep ledge, laboring hard |
for half day, I would lose my footing and ]
slide down lower than the place from which |
started. AS had no fro, and no clothing, |
point said to be si1 Thousand feet above the
sea, and en1y wonder that did not freeze. + |
scratched holes in the sand at night, in which
to sleep, aud before could travel was obliged
every day to wait for the sun to warm me up.
travelled what could every day, and in the
meantime lad to sub8lst On grass Alone. On |
1he fourteenth day reached camp of some
workmen in tie pinery, which was untenauted.
There l found little food, md some Hour
which had been spilled on the ground. The |
fire was not quite out, and l kiudled it up.
Scraped up some of the -four and made me-
little cake, the first food had tasted since I
left home. ] was now near the xorkmen in the
pinery, aud within two miles Of my home, bat
WIS too weak 10 60 on. could hear the men
ut work, and sometimes saw them, but could
not attract their attention. At length crawl
cd along to the road, over which they must
pass, and WAS found there, and carried home,
after being out sixteen days.