The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-07-28

so long as there was any prospect OF
recovering the stolen property, neith-
er Of them felt inclined to give up the
pursuit.
81 am afraid they have given us
the slip" remarked CarsOn's COM
paniOn.
at does look a little that way. 1t
may be, however, that we are ahead
of them"
'Tf that is so, there is still a chance
Of coming across the thieves"
The leader replied in the affirma-
tive, and after scanning every por-
ton of the sky, added. 'iBut if we
just missed them-that is, if they
were ahead of us in reaching the pass
I'VE may as well give up the chase
and 20 back to camp"
With this conviction, they rode
quietly along, until the greater pOr-
ton Of the forenoon was passed but
not a sign of the runaways did they
discover. Gradually the conviction
forced itself upon them that the pru-
dent course was now for them to re-
turn to camp. The pursuit hadled them
into the most dangerous portion of
the NavajOe country, where the
! greatest care was necessary TO escape
collision with their implacable enc
mics.
When the sun had reached merid-
ian, without any signs Of the desert
\ ser, the chase was given up entirely.
They've got ahead of US, that's
certain" said Kit, as they turned
/ their horses heads hOmeward.
'There isn't any use in pursuing
them further?'
'NO; the time is lost. When we
/ get back to Toas we may meet them,
and we will then settle this account
With this consolation, they cOntin-
ued OH their journey towards camp
In the afternoon, they crossed Il
small stream, where, TO their surprise
] they detected the trail of deserters.-
I The footprints showed that their an
imals were at full speed and u more
extended scrutiny OF the. soft earth
along the stream revealed the fact
that the party undoubtedly had been
hotly pursued by Indians at the
time
The trail led towards a wood about
half a mile to the left aud under the
conviction that fight must have
taken place at that point, the two
hunters rode at a gallOp toward it
They were not mistaken in their sup
position for, less than a hundred
feet from the edge of the wood, all
three of the horses were found stretch
ed upon the ground, perfectly riddled
with bullets.
'But where are they ?" asked the
hunter of Carson, after they had sur
veyed the sickening sight for few
minutes.
"Let us look about u.s." was the
reply, as they moved on with their
horses. sH 4
Thinking that the bodies of the men
must be somewhere near at hand,
they marched awhile for them, but
discovered not the least trace. They
even went through the entire wood
with no better success. The cOnvie-
tiOn of both Carson and his compan-
ion was, that they had been captured
by the NaYajoes, carried away, and
put to terrible death. In this they
were undoubtedly correct, as not one
of the men was ever heard of after
wards.
The trappers now took the most di-
rect route hOmeward, riding along at
an easy gallOp, and saving the
strength of their horses as much as
possible. As they were in constant
danger of an encounter with Indians,
this was no more than prudent. Ev-
cry now and then they came across
signs Of savages, but, by great care,
they avoided them until they had
passed over the greater part of tie |
distance. They were riding along
H. y
other, when there suddenly appeared
Indians ahead of them. They were
all very well mounted, painted, and |
deeked out in their most gaudy |
feathers, showing unmistakably that |
they were on the war-path.
Kid Carson now did something |
which to an inexperienced person,
would look like the hight of rashness, !
but which demonstrates his extraor- |
dinary quickness ofeomprehension as
TO what is the best to do in a sudden |
crisis like the present. The instant |
he caught sight of the Indians, he ex- /
claimed, in a suppressed undertone,
"Charge r
The command had scarcely escaped |
his mouth when both had stlEek |
their spurs deep into their horses |
sides, and were laundering forward !
at tremendous rate The Indians |
instantly wheeled, and rcde away at |
the same furious rate, while the trap |
pers, shouting and yelling at the top /
of their lungs, dashed after them.-I
About fifty rods were passed in this |
manner, when fully fifty warriors
came in view tIeneatll a |
hill, where they had been Waiting in |
ambush.
CarsOn's companion looked inquir- |
ingly at him, and he nodded his head /
to signify that the chase must be kept |
up. Retreat now was sudden death, |
while to advance looked almost as |
bad. But the two trappers dashed |
straight forward, their horses at the /
highest rate of speed. 1t was the |
charge of the Light Brigade of Bala- |
kava on q small scale. /
When the Indians saw that the |
whites intending no retreat, tliey
into two divisions, by about /
the distance of a hundred yards, and, /
holding their rifles ready, awaited the |
moment to empty the two saddles.
Bending down their heads, they |
pressed their spurs into the fianks Of |
liSl hOlhGss anu TIE HldLUCE. sSltAIActA
every nerve Each of the trappers |
held his loaded gun in his hand, but |
he did not fire, for, in a running fight,
the great fear of the hunter is that he /
may find himself dismOunted, with |
an empty gun is his hand. i
It was a fearful ride. In one place, (
they were within twenty yards of the
who sent the bullets whist
ling about their ears. Their clothes /
were pierced, and several slight
wounds made; but, by wonderful PROV
idence, neither was seriously injured,
nor were their horses more than
They continued their fight in the
same hediIOag rate. The Indians con
tinued the pursuit for short distance,
but finally withdrew, and the trap
pers reached camp without further