American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-08-29
CANTON, MISS. SATURDAY, AUGUST 20,

up desultory fire at my little fortress il
| the vain hope that stray bullet or arrow
might find an entrance. But now | though
| might as well show my teeth a little, Sc
| | began carefully to select, from spots
| fired from, the most probable portion o
| the body concealed in them, and every
| few minutes wou d send IA ball on an ex
ploring expedition, and with such gooC
effect that they soon ceased firing at mt
| altogether and turned their attention tt
my flock, which had remained trembling
in their first position all this time. \
part were detailed for this purpose, Will,
the rest watched me, and soon saw thcil
arrows piercing the helpless animals un
til they had killed all they could possibly
carry of. when they ceased.
l had hoped that when this operation
was completed they would depart, bu
was very much disappointed to see that
| they had no such intention. They knew
as well as | that no alarm would be given
until | failed to bring the tiock in at
night, and then the succor would not
start out until the next morning, and
they appeared determined to have my
scalp to revenge the braves i had sent to
the happy hunting grounds. They would
not risk an assault in the daytime, and
so they were waiting for the night in
order to creep upon me under cover of
its darkness. 1t was about three O'Clock
in the afternoon when | was attacked,
and from that time until dark no further
shots were fired by either the Indians or
myself. They had doubtless good rea-
sons for not firing, and had no desire to
waste single ball of the stock of aInmu-
milton | had already drawn heavily upon
unless | was certain of my shot. | had,
at the beginning of the fray, some forty
in rtrJI Up hn .I p to- n
shots in my rifle, beside my revolvers to
fall back upon; and | felt confident of
the result, unless they should provoke
my fire until my supply was exhausted
and | at their mercy. So | resolved to
make it an even exchange of an Indian
for ball, or else hold my fire.
The evening wore slowly and anxiOusly
away, and the night promised TO be as
black as ink. 1t clouded up as soon as
the sun set, and in the distance could be
heard the muttered roll of a threatening
thunderstorm. Darkness came on very
quickly, and with it | knew would come
the last desperate attempt of the Indians
to effect my destruction. But when it
came to skulking in the dark | was as
much at home as they, and | felt conf
dent of giving them the slip.
AS soon, then, as it was dark enough to
conceal my movements, | slid cautiously
prone position commenced crawling in
direction directly opposite from the set
Element, hoping that that side would be
less guarded. | had almost reached the
cover, and was among some loose bowl
dcrs, when l suddenly detected "A dark
object crawling directly toward me. l
instantly reversed my position, and
moved little to one side, hoping that if
he saw me he would take me for one of
he Il
pated. Just opposite me he observed
me, but as l was apparently cautiously
crawling in the same direction he was
thrown off his guard. He crawled slowly
on for few PAGES, but for the
best of reasons l did not make
as good time as he; but all ut
once he seemed to have his
suspicious aroused, and, turning, adj
dressed me in Il sharp, querulous whis-
per. My answer was to send ball
crushing through his skull, and then to
dart into the cover. With another horri-
BILE yell the whole band arose, some of
the nearest firing in the direction l took,
while all Joined in an eager pursuit.
gained the top of another ridge far in
advance of them all, but stumbling over
Il loose stone | fell, almost stunned, for
ward. ms cad of touching IA smooth
rock, as l expected, | found myself
jammed into a assure which entirely adj
mitted my body, while the stone | haG
liberated by my stumble went rolling
heavily off down the side of the noun
tain, among the bushes. My pursuers
eagerly followed the noise it made think
ing it to be my retreating form, and were
thus completely thrown off the track.
When they were at "A safe distance l
cautiously emerged, and before they dis
covered their error, if indeed they did at
all, was safe under cover, ard silently
threading my way toward the valley,
where | soon arrived, bloody and almost
exhausted by the long strain upon my
nerves, but, strange to say, only tritlingly
injured. / was greeted like one from
the dead, and my bullet-riddled clothes
and my wounds dressed.
L now learned that my assistant had
been undoubtedly attacked as well as
myself, for he and his flock were miss
ing also. My employer expressed the
conviction that he was killed, as he was
too used" to the indians to be careful
And so it proved: for, upon going out
out next morning to secure the remain
der of the tlocks, we came upon his body
rlddled with arrows and with his head
beaten to IA jelly between two large
stones. He had been completely sur
prised, apparently, and killed without
making the least resistance. | assisted
in giving him ii Christian burial, and then
informed my employer that l did not
think strengthening my strong suit. He
was profuse in his protestations of re-
gret at the determination, because, he
SAID, | was the only herdsman he had
ever had who did not get foolishlv
- used" to the Indians and allow him
self to be killed.-San Froncisco .Suaday
fXy0nicLe