The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-02-14

things as clouds and mists had an ex-
istence But the marauding Digger
had been at work More than one
hundred head Of cattle were either
manned or driven of. A council of
war was. Immediately held, and pur
suit without delay determined
upon. Sixteen brave fellows vol
unteered for the chase, and like
houads loosed from the lash started
eR upon the robbers, trail. Occa-
3.Jually an OK was overtaken which
me Indians had disabled and leffin
their precipitate fight. 1t was be-
coming apparent@from Indications
that the purs uers.#ere gaining rapidly
on the fugitIves. Ten miles had been
passed over when suddenly the trail,
which had entered the mountain
range BY, a. canon, divided into three
widely diverglng branches A por-
ton Of the party took each of these,
four picked men following the one
that led eff toward the southwest. We
will accompany this heroic quartette.
Six miles from the point OF separa-
ton brought them IN sight Of their
game. When first deserted they were
less than half a mile distant, and had
an entire OK broiling on a sage brush
fire they had kindled. The Indians
numbered three TO one Of the whites,
and had infg their possession about a
third part of the stolen cattle. "a
plan Of attack was soon arranged.
The nature of the intervening ground
favored a surprise, and IN less than a
quarter Of al hour four unerring ri
| fes winged their leaden messengers
into the gIndian camp Not q shot
was fred la vain. Str swarthy saw
ages DIT the dust aud the rest sprang
to their arms. Their first aim was to
effect an escape. but a constant Yolley
poured down upon them from sac
rifles, and finding retreat cut of. they
turned and fought with desperation,
Sir rihes2 All, another foe had
| followed the Digger band; an aveng-
ing Nemesis was % their trail. I'M
mediately upon the delivery of their
first fire BY the four emigrants two
more shots echoed from the opposite
side of the defle and two additional
Indians answered with their lives.
| This was as much a surprise to the
emigrants ks 60 the savages Who
| had followed thus unseen to share
/ AnGAA ~ ANDOC= EaHAS SAOoC
unexpected atlies2 The emigrants
sprang from their lurking place.
Two forms suddenly appeared from
an opposite adirection. Heavensl
| Captain Iruckee and the hermit,
hunter, renegade or whatever he
might be- Did not the Piute speak
of his goodee friend Gade-heap a
fight DigGer-belly sorry man-not
much-a talk-ee How came they
here just at this opportune moment?
No natter the Indians must be
looked after there is now no time
for parley. The tight became one Of
most. deadly determination. The
savages had a few guns, but in
their skilfull hands the bow
and arrow was a formidable weapon,
and the knife blade seldom returned
to its sheath without blood on it.
| TrUekee.-and~ companion leaped
from the rock whose beetling brow
had at first concealed them, and with
a few bounds were in the midst of the
Diggers, with guns dubbed, dealing
death at every blow. Nor were they
long alone; the other party emalated
their daring, and the little band were
soon engaged in hand hand con-
fict with the foe, who, despiSinAtheir
diminutive numbers, seeme hdent
Of an easy victory. Thickn the
poisoned arrow; knife blades gilt
tered in the sunlight; yeifs Of the fiv-
ing and groans. Of thezdyiAg mingled
In one-horrid discord, reverberating
fram rock and mountain side, as if all
- internal demons had 20 ken
Aose. But the white man ia me
to cOhquer, and the IndianrWas undes
the hand of his destiny-thirteen Of
their number lay stretched upon the
ground dead or mortally wounded.
A few Insignificant scratches q
pleted the sum of casualties
among the four emigrahts; but the
grizzly figure that entered upon the
scene with Captain Truckee-the
hunter hermit, renegade or what not
was prostrate He had fought as
if the battle and its issues belonged
to him. A wild, frenzy. glared from
his eye as he gfappled painted
fend and hurled him with Titanic
force to the ground. His good knife
wasredTte the handle, but he seemed
to have been specially marked as a
targstI for the death tipped arrows.
-Four had pierced different parts of
his body-one cut through bis cheek
creating a CHASTITY wouad and one
had searched his vitals passing be-
tween two of his left ribs. The. three
reniaihihg Indians darted otto Secure
plaees among the rocks and escaped.
The field was now ia possession Of
the whites. HFqfq H4FRf'
Captain Truckee ran to his SlfIiehd
Gabe and lifted hldl1 up. Il Some ltof
+ the arrows .were still sticking fast in
the sockets they had cut Eor. Them
! selves Fhe IopeTatiOn Of withdraw