Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-11-20
THRILLING ADVENTURE WITH
INDIANS.

a Fort Fetterman w. H. correspond
ent Of the Cheyenne Leader, under date
Of November I'd, relates the following /:
On Thursday last threc men-Mcken-
ma, McAiister and Wentworth, OF Com
pany X, Second Csvalry-went out from
this post hunting. Night o~vertnking
them near the entrance Of La Prclle
| canyon, fifteen miles from here, they
turned into q secluded glen, stationed
one of their number to watch, and the
other two made down their bed and went
to sleep side by side. About midnight
it berg cold-the Waterman made n
fire. Fatal mistake Soon after this
he laid down by the side of his COM
rades-doubtless no. intending to go TO
sleep. One Of his comrades (Went-
| WORTHY awakened for a moment, warned
him Of his imprudsnce, but received an
assurance that NIL was well, and again
fell asleep. II is probable the sentinel
did the IN A few minutes afterward
a terrific discharge Of firearms, from ev-
cry side Of the sleepers, in such close
proximity that the powder burned their
faces, proved the folly Of their watchers
feeling Of security. One Of the men,
McKeuua, did not more-a ball q
pierced his temple, another his heart,
and four had entered his breast. Death
itself had succeeded its counterfeit.
McAlister sprang up with a single eIcla-
nation, and fell back dead, pierced by 4
dozen bullets. Wentworth, who was
sleeping between tho two, WAS not
scratched. Being a man Of great nerve
aud much experience with the Indians,
his plans were instantly matured, and
as quickly executed. Selling his pistol
a, he slipped from the side OF his dead
comrades, he shot the Indian who con-
fronted him as he rose, jumped over his
PROSTATE body, knocked down the next
in his path with the but of the weapon,
lodged the rest, sprang in among the
porics from which the savages had dis
mornted, and running through tho herd
gai.sd the creek, and under cover Of
the friendly bushes escaped his pursu.rs
and came barefoot over the jagged rocks
and prickly pears to the post, where he
arrived At about six o'clock, in condition
to move the heart Of the most unfeeling.
TIE flesh Of his heels and the balls
Of his feet were worn to the bone, and
on their raw surface he had made most
of his terrible march for life.
On receipt Of the Information the
company instantly proceeded to the
place and found tho bodies as he had
described but, strange to shy, neither
scalped nor mutilated. Stranger still,
their guns, ammunition, oVerconts, sad
dies and bed blankets wore all there
uudisturbed. One Of their horses had
been shot and left the other three were
taken Off by the Indians.
Captain Egan was accompanied by
Black Coal and another Arrapahos of
Medicine Mans band, who assisted him
materially in d~eciphering the trail and
reading the signs Of the war party.
Jose Merareli, the post guide, was also
of the party, and is well versed in such
matters. He and Black Coal agree that
the fact of the Indians not taking the
guns aud other property is attributed to
their having n quarrel among thom-
selves over the division of the spoils,
uhich may have been settled by the
chief having them leave everything
They estimate the fsrec at about
60, and say all the indications show
them to have been Sioux, and probably
of Red Clouds band. The story Of
wentworth's escape may be deemed
hard to swallow, but it is true,
nevertheless, as any of the officers Of
bis company will readily avouch.