The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-07-29
A NARROW ESCAPE.
A Trip to Wichita and the Ninnescah- .Ad-
dendas.

''OI all SAD words OF tongue or pen
The saddest are these: sit might have BEEN"
We can say, with happy, thankful
hearts, sit might have been, but it was
not" We were surprised and astonish-
ed, ten days after our safe return home,
to learn that we narrowly escaped cap
ture by the dreaded Cheyennes. A
band of twenty or thirty followed our
trail all the long Sabbath day. The Ar
kansas river was rising rapidly, of which
fact they were doubtless aware, and
supposed we would not be able to cross,
and at night we would be an easy prey.
Their plan would have been to steal the
horses, and take US girls prisoners.
The thought sends a chill through our
veins even now. They might have done
it. There were only seven of the men ;
two having gone home another way.
Three of those left, were armed only
with revolvers, and there were only two
guns that could be relied on-and be-
ing short of ammunition, we could have
made but poor fight.
The Captain saw them in the morn
on the hills so that we could not clearly
distinguish objects at a distance.
Away to the north, perhaps mile dis
tant, we dimly perceived large NOV
ing figure. We noticed that the Captain
looked anxiously and intently at it, but
as he said he guessed it was a stray
buffalo, we did not know that we had
seen the Cheyennes. The camp we
found the day before was known to be
a war camp, but we were told then, that
it was probably the Kaws on buffalo
hunt. Now that we know there was
real danger, we are not ashamed to con-
TESS that we felt afraid, and were glad
that the wagons were kept in the ra-
vines instead of oil the hills. The Ar
kansas had risen about foot during our
absence, but we crossed safely. That
night, our red skinned followers attack
ed another party, camped near where
we forded, and compelled them to give
up their horses, twelve or fourteen head.
Since our return home we have met
Mr.. L. Government scout, during all
the late war. He had just received
letter from Gen. Sheridan, offering him
any price to join his army as scout
among the Indians. We have a real
izing sense that the cloud of Indian war
is thickening. Apropos to this is a
statement made by an intelligent Texan
to friend of ours. He said that he
looked for the Indians to make raid
into Texas, and if they chose to do so.
there was nothing to hinder their strik-
ing far into the State, as the ranches-are
far apart, and many of the young men
gone north with droves of cattle.
Their object in going there would be
to secure horses for fall campaign,
from the numerous herds that run al
most wild on the prairie. We must add
story of Indian adventure, told US by
one of its heroes. During Custar's
campaign, in the. winter of '6S-9, our
friend, accompanied only by two scouts,
made journey of $50 miles on some
urgent business. On their return they
camped one night in little ravine,
where they were attacked at day-break,
by a hundred Indians. A hundred
against three. 1t was fearful odds.
Arrows whizzed continually, and some
bullets were fired. but they seemed to
have few guns. The whites kept cool,
wasted no ammunition, waiting till sure
of their aim, they made every shot tell.
For six long hours the conflict ragged.
AT last, one of the scouts jumped on
top of the bank, and waving his hat,
dared the Indians to come on, and fight
him, saying that they didn't know how
to fight, and that they could not kill
him if they tried. Without firing an
other shot the Indians turned and rode
away, leaving them to follow their
journey, without further molestation.
The story seems to us worthy of pub
LEGATION. r. s. E.