The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-10-31
PANDY ELLIS IN THEcAVE OF DEATH
BY MARLINE MANLY.

BY MARLINE MANLY.
$50 thet's ther way Kit Carson
nailed Buck Bailey, are it? Wal, l
must say, ye fellers did good sarvice
in thet rancho er tavern az ye call it.
/ know their town ye speak NV; been
in it, an a dirtier set O. greasers l
never clapped eyes on. I've been in a
tout like what ye jest tole about, but
our numbers war more even, an we
had ther light ter see by. But, / say,
Lon, whar on yarth did ye git thet
mark at ?" and old Ben, as he spoke,
turned to Lon Carter, a noted trap
per, who had been quietly rolling up
his sleeve while the other was speak
ing, showing long, pink mark, which
we all knew was made by wound
which had never properly healed. He
was the fifth of the party, while your
humble servant made up the half
dozen, "Boys,n said Lon, "ye see
that" pointing to the vivid mark.
"Ya-as, but what made it, Lon,"
came from several of the "boys."
"Camancb," was the reply, as the
trapper began pulling down the sleeve
of his greasy hunting shirt, which,
from appearance, had seen good SER
vice. rE y
"Ye see, boys" he resumed, after
his operation was completed, and his
sleeve once more in its proper place,
"ye see, was with Pandy Ellis then,
down south, and we had been kicking
up big row among the Camanch, so
they were red-hot Every Indian on
the plains knows Pandy, and the
Camanch they would have given
nearly anything to get the old man,
but, as ye all know, he is as sharp as
a steel trap, and it takes some to
beat him. We were all alone, Pandy
and l, but we considered ourselves a
big pile, for the old man himself is a
whole team, and a dog under the
wagon. But the reds did get Pandy
at last, and this. was how it happened
Ye see, we were joined by a white
man, who said as how he had just es-
capped from the Indians, who were
about to torture him. l believed him;
but several times Pandy he said as
how he didn't like his looks, and, as it
afterwards came out, the old man was
righe.
"However, we consented to his re.
naming with us, and it wasn't long be-
fore we regretted it, for one day at
least fifty Camanch came pourin' in
on us. Ye see, we had cave in the
hills, and no one knew of it but us
three.
"As the reds came tumbling in at
the door by dozens, we heard Tom
Hurst, the teller as had joinedas, give
yell of triumph, and we knew he
was the traitor, but we couldn't get at
him. Both OF us went to work, but
/ being near the door, got out, and
when once in open air made a streak
for cover, A dozen reds followed
me, and only five came back half an
hour later, for ye see made stand
and laid the others out with my shoot
ing irons, which 1 hadn't used as yet,
Them as were left they cleared out,
and | sneaked' back to see what had
became OF Pandy. Why, cuss me, if
thefeller hadn't tkept the fight up nearly
half an hour, an they were just lead
ing him out with his hands bound be-
hind him when / came up. Then
they began fetching out the dead, an
l counted eleven corpeses; Pandy had
made it a cave of death to them Ca
manch. Well, from the. bushes l seen
all this, and soon the whole crowd
went down the hill, heading for the
Indian village. The white renegade
was with them, but he kept out of
Pandy's sight, for the old man has a
deal of power in them little eyes of
his'n, and couldn't stand ther gaze.
although nearly score of their
warriors had fallen, still the Camanch
thought as how they had had the
best of the bargain, and Red Buzzard,
the chief, was highly elated as he
marched with his warriors and pris-
oner back to the village, which was
nearly ten miles away. l tell ye,
boys, l had no idea of letting Pandy
remain in the hands of the reds; no,
not if l lost my life in trying to free
him. I,I.la.rrl
can honest-hearted man; a true
friend in time Of need; a noble speci-
men of Gods handiwork; terrible
fighter; the champion trapper and
trailer on the plains; and friend to
all good, an enemy to all bad such
man is Pandy Ellis, and the ranger
who would desert him deserves to be
hung and quartered.
II followed the reds closely to the
foot OF the hill, but when they de-
baucbed forth upon the open plain l
let them go, for it would not do for
me to show myself
strangely enough, they had no
mustangs, and this is q curious thing
when in connection With Camanch,
who always ride, l knew Red Buz-
zard was noted for the fine steeds he
bad in bis village, and the only way !
could explain it was that they had
come on foot during the past night,
and had not brought steeds for fear
that their tramping might betray
them and put us on the watch.
However, be that as 1t may, they
were on foot, and it took them nearly
half an hour to get so far out on the
plain that l could hardly see them
Knowing that now there was no
danger Of their discovering me should
l set out, left the trees that were
upon and around the hills, and began
following them.