Daily national Democrat., 1861-03-30
EspinOsa, the Dancer----His Captivity
Among the Indians,

Everybody remembers Espinosa who trav-
eled with the Monplasir Troupe in this coun-
try few years ago, and was quite favorite
with the people. He had the biggest nose,
with the exception of Old Block, in the
country, and could jump higher than any
man ever before seen in California. The Lon
don Era relates the following portion of his
life
One day California. with its golden pres
Iige, fascinated our heros mind, and forth
with lie dreamed of nothing else, save artis-
tic glory ornameuted with gold, and in the
hope of gathering some of the same, he en-
barked for the Pacific Ocean. Crossing over
the Rocky Mountains, he fell into the hands
of gang of caunibal robbers, who relieved
him of all he possessed, and kept him close
prisoner for three months. Here he was des-
tined, after having been previously hlten'
ed up," to be roasted and served up at the
table of the cannibal chief at their next grand
soemnity But Espnosa would not grow
fat " for the grand cannibal display 50, when
the day did come, he was tied as useless flesh
lumber, to the fatal tree, there to be tortured
to death the obstinate pale face" The last
savage dance had already begun around him,
mayed; non timeo Sed Spero, thought he.
During his captivity he had learned enough
of the savages' dialect to make himself un
ierstood SO, as the cannibals jumped and
trisked around him, be suddenly exclaimed
= Oh, We accursed red skins, call ye that dan
cing?" Loose my cords, and I'll show ye
what dancing is-how we pale faces dance.
Pierce my body with your AFRO ws, and de-
vour it afterwards il you will, but let me
show you what dancing is" He was silent,
and the capering red horde stopped suddenly
short. The chiefs moved to a short distance
and held a conference "ConticueIe omnes,
ct vulgi sante corona" The result of which
conference was, Be it as the pale face hath
spoken let him dance" spoke the principal
chief. Amid yell of Internal noises a ring
was quickly made, and Espinosa, loosed from
his bonds, jumped into the middle of it with
IL pirouette SO moribolant, so fantastic, yet 80
outandish and extravagant, that the red skin
sqnatters giggled and grinned and chatted
like monkeys.
He then gave them dance of the regular
gauiin de Paris style. He vaulted head over
heel la Grimaldi, prouetted round the saw.
age inclosure, within and without, and en-
raptured one and ALL Finally seeing the ia
vor he was "stepping' into, he began the
popular Paris dance called La Snvate, and
through it he went, con amore el pedbus.
| right and left, back ward and forward, dis
| persng his audience on all sides, surprising
them, delighting them, mesm erizing and en-
trancing them by his improptu dance 'twiXt
life and death and while all Were in solemn
amaZement and mute astonishment at the We
locity Of his twistings and turnngs, his
iumpings and xaultings he suddenly vaulted
| into a \acant saddle on one of the fleet steeds
of the chiefs, and presto, off he went like an
arrow, to the general admiration of the red
skins who mistook that pas for a part of hi:
'ddnSe internate' exhibition or as Doctor
O'Toole says "a part of his system !" But
when the entranced savages saw him quick
ly fly and scud through the air. and when
they lost sight of him IN toto, feelings of rn ge
and vengeance succeeded admiration and de
light and, yelling out their war cry, the best
riders jumped on their steeds in pursuit OF
the "Pale-face Devil"
But Fortune favored the brave" and Es-
pinosa neer saw the silly Red Skins more
What a dance he had of it on his "borro ed
courser" Yet twas only when his pursuer=
from atar saw him arrive in sight of a numer-
Gus and well armed caravan that they gave
up all hope of recapturing their fascinating
fugitive dancer; and as desperate signal oil
rage and vengeance, they fired off at him a
shower of poi, ,Oned arrows, while he rode
under safe convoy, toward San Francisco.
There is one flaw in the above yarn, and
that is there are no cauniJaIs in the Rocky
Mountains