The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-01-26
Albanv gegistrr,
A Thrilling story.

TEN YEARS WITH THE sAvAGEs OF THE
FAR WEST THE EXPERIENCE or
GAIT, fIoBlS, TIE FAMOUS RAN,iEIs--
lIow lie MAS CAPTURED AND NEAR
IL sCALPED-IlIs FINAL RELEASE
AND RETURN TO THIS CITY.
Capt. John Hobbs, a famous ranger
and Indian fighter of Sonora and
Northern Mexico, is the guest Ofa we'll
known publisher in this city. lie ar
rived in the Metropolis few days ago
direct from Fort Sedgwick. lie has
probably suffered greater liaplsllips
from and has gained greater knowl-
edge OF the plain and frontier Indians
thaa any other white man living in this
country. His thrilling adventures a,Rl
lmnd-to-hand conflicts with the
Apaches during the past quarter of a
eeL,ary and captivity Of ten years
among the CanlancleS, would afford
splendid material for a tirst-class ro-
nance. The exploits of this individ-
nlutterly oversliadows the deeds ofthe
renowned Kit Carson, with whom he
WAS intimately acquainted, and com
rletely SURPRISES the doings of "Buf-
file Bill" and 'Ealifornia Joe. = whose
names in connection with Indian fight
ing has been before the public in various
periodicals during the past seven years.
Recently q Time 5 representative en-
ioyed and hours coaysr-ation with the
grim cd veteran, and learned from his
own lips some particulars Of an event
flil career.
The Captain was found at the office
Of s;enograpler who was husily cnr-
nlovcd in tlking notes to he u:etl in
Connection witlla forth coming history
Of hi. life. He invited the reporter to
he seated, aud handed him pipe of |
uilue pattern, with stem about four |
ftet ia length, which he lighted and in |
tlu!gal ia a few whiffs a, a starter.
"lhat pipe. said he. 'Icaptured from
..iealamnle. 4 Montezlnia Chief, thir-
taca wears ago, aud | would not part
with it for thousand dollars" While
smoking. the reporter surveyed the
ioylcr-mau; he is fully six feet in
Height. sparcly built, Is as straight as 4
All arrow, has small, black, piercing
eyes. long aud coarse hair, AS black Us
coal. a swarthy counteuance covered
with scars, and Il complexion in genei-
III that lrls been 50 tanned by exposure
u the sun and wind that it resembles
strongly that ofan Indian. lie wore a
botlel-suit of bucksSin, fantastically
arranged, hut his person was devoid Of
iewtlry, which i such characteristic
wtakuess of fgOntier men. On bu-
reau at the right rested huge white
.omorero, while in one corner Of the
room, hear the stenograpler's desk,
were scfips and tomahawks and other
relies Of the forest. and of sanguinary ,
conflicts with the savages. As he had ,
lsen captive such great length of I
time among the Indians, it seemed
iaatter Of surprise to the reporter that
lie could converse so tluently In lis
Iaother%ongle. He explained this by {
stating that he had as companion iii /;
captivity an American, and had fire.
quent intercourse with trappers and !
l!crlsmen whom he had assisted in cap ,
turiag. BY this mode he had managed
TO retain his English perfectly. His
knowledge of dates was also surprising
whea it IS taken into consideration that
iie was carried off by the Comancles
when hut twenty years OF Age, AMI pre-
vious to tint event had but little school
ias.
lie was born in a small frontier vii
lage on the Big Blue River, in tile
northern portion Of Jackson county, In
the State Of Missouri, in the year 1870,
hit does not remember the month.
When but 4 mere lad he gained a great
reputation among the hardy back
woodsmen and trappers oftllat section
Il. 3 wonderful SHOT, as lie had been ,
known - bring down deer at four
huadred yards. AT eighteen he was a
Successful trapper, and knew every elk
path and otter pond for miles through |
the wilderness. His shrewdness 1T
tracted the attention of Bent, the great
81. Louis fur trader, who secured his |
services when nineteen. IL Is to fllis {
incident that bis subsequent misfor- !
times and ten years captivity and suf- |
feriGgs among the Comanclles may be {
attributed. Shortly after entering the
services of the fur company, as the I
Captain related, he and a companion, /
james BattiessI French Canadian, d
were sent to the CimerUne Springs, ,
rear the head waters Of tile Arkansas i
river. At that date the whole country
was was almost bowling wilderness,
with hut few settlers scattered here and
there. and was swarming with hostile
.ir,acl!es, Pawnees, and the se0,nge of
Northern Mexico. the bloolthiisty
Gomanclles. On the 18th ofSeptember, G
l>l7. az their luck lad been bad. Bat Ii
ties proposed to Hobbs "a start further y
south. where game was supposed to be s,
III abundance the latter acqniesced.
During the evening of the first days Ii
trip Hobbs traiIed a buffalo. Ills cap q
tire is given in bis own verlaeular. 81
Putting spurs to my mare, = said tile Il
Captain. Il soon oyerlauled the var pl
mint. which proved to be a COW, which n
killed. Battles soon Joined me, and bl
after we cut off all Of the meat we W
wanted We built a fire and bunked in cl
i0r the night. The following morn bl
ing. while preparing orr grub, a war cl
party oftwenty Coillanche braves, with al
eight or ten Pawnee scalps, and
drove ofstolen ponies appeared on tile v