The Republican journal., 1870-07-21
From Harper's Weekly.
A NIGHT ATTACK.

From IIarper's Weekly.
A NIGHT ATTACK.
l was still young man, scarcely more
than Il boy, in fact, when I left England to
become the partner of my old school mate,
Dick Merton, who had settled down rs 4
shecp-f;lrmcr in South America. Our Joint
and rather modest capital was invested in a
league of land near Santa Fe, on the Parana,
bought ''for a song" on account of some de-
feet in the title ; also in a few sheep, having
the lathy appearance, and almost the speed
of grey-hounds; and, lastly, in materials for
our house, Of which, as we had ourselves
been the architects, builders and clerks of
the work, we were not little proud. 1t was
built OF sun-baked bricks, and consisted Of
one tolerably large room, with flat roof
and parapet, accessible from the inside by
means of ladder. Around it, at about thirty
yards distance, we had dug a deep dry ditch,
crossed by draw bridge, and intended as
protection against surprise by our enterpris-
ing neighbors the Indians. The latter dusky
gentlemen had hitherto behaved themselves
very much as such, and had confined their
throat-cuttimg propcnsties to certain stray
sheep. instead of gratifying them at the ex-
pense of the owners. But ugly tales were
told Of their doings round about us-of white
men taken while riding in sight Of home, and
tortured; of cattle driven off. and sheep
speared in very wantonness of mischief
which We're not reassuring, and which caus-
ed us to keep particularly sharp lookout,
especially when, as now the Indian moon
Chelr tavorltc time of attack gave light
enough to point the way to plumber, but not
to guide the aim of the defenders
Dick Merton, changed indeed since the
days when his word was law among a select
circle of Pail Mall dandes, lounged up to
where | was standing. His costume was
simple in the extreme. and consisted merely
of a sufficiently aged pair of leather unmen
tionables and a red flannel shirt-thc whole
being surmounted and relieved by very
long black beard, and Il very short but equally
black pipe; but through rough attire and
surroundings. the indeinable &c ne suis quoi
Of gentilty was clearly recognizable as when
he was sowing his rather extensive crop Of
wildcats upon home soil, and before that
memorable Derby which induced him, after
settling with duns of every description, to
embark himself and the leavings of his
property, and dwell among sheep and saw
ages, until he could return with fresh grist
to carry on the civilized mill.
"Can you see anything stirring in the
campo said he, Us he came up. 'These
horses are making confounded row in the
corral. | saw johnson the Yankee this morn
ing and he said that Indians had crossed the
river, and he guessed we'd better keep our
wits well lied, that the dusky varmn didn't
look in when we warn't ready for visitors" ("
Now, horses We're our surest safeguards
against surprise Dogs we had, too, but they
reused us up so frequently by barking at
nothing more formidable than = stray deer
OF fox that-rcminded ofthe gentleman whose
amusement il was to cry 'wolf!"-we lost
all faith in them: but our little. half-wlld
Pampa horses had Il truer instinct, and their
warnings, given by stamping upon the
ground, were not to be disregarded with
safety.
81 can make out some objects moving
about half mile to the southwark said l,
after long lookout on the plains.
''They are mounted men, by Jove !" ex-
claimed my companion; land riding hard
this way too Stand here with your rifle,
Alfred, while | slip cartridges into the others
At that pace they will be here directlyn
And SO they We're Almost before Dick
had reached my side again, two 'Guachos, !"
their usually swarthy faces livd with fear,
sprang from their horses, which, covered
with blood, sweat, and foam, showed how
sharp had been the ride. and rushed over the
drawbridgc. They told us, as soon as ter
ror would allow them that three hundred In
dians were in hot pursuit, and would soon
be on the spot, and besought us, for the love
of the Virgin, to give them shelter; as to
ride out again into the camp upon their found
cred horses would be certain DEATH
Dick, rather to my surprise-for did not
then know what distinguished liars the na
tives rs rule are-calmly lit his pipe, and
then ordered our visitors, in somewhat
doubtful Spanish idiom, to "make themselves
scarce
"Unless," he said politely, 'you can tell
q plain tale, scnors without lies, ganlos and
0dios."
Upon this we learned. after much cross
questioning, that they had been to buy horses
(.sto steal them more likely" interiected
Dck,) at the station of rich Spaniard, Don
Ramon Garcia. who lived about four leagues
from us; and that when they reached the top
of u gentle rise in the ground, and had a
view of the house, they had seen, to their
horror and dismay, a large body of the dread
ed Indians, who were attacklng-for they
heard shots-Don Ramon's esta1acia.
"Whereupon,' said the spokesman, with
teeth chattering, we rode hard to your abode,
well knowing that the brave Engishmen
would not deliver us up. But let us mount
your tleetest horses, and ride for life. Soon
they will be here, and who can withstand
the fierce bravos?"
''H this be true said Dick, turning to me,
'and l believe it, for these cowardly scoun-
drels' faces are proof that they have seen
something-the sooner we prepare to fight
the better. Of course they were not attack
ing Kamon's place; he has a fort strong
enough to resist a thousand of them. and
plenty Of men and arms as well. Most like
y they made a dash to carry off any one who
might be stroling at distance from the
house, or TO drive off the horses; and it's
equally likely that we shall have them here
soon, where there's II better chance for q
night attack. In any event we must be pre-
pared for them, Naturally we can't run away