Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-12-16
ort of oasis where alter and grass and

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camping place for the night. Wit
dawn I was again in the s: ddle, nc
did any incident, during that day
journey or the next, vary the IN onoto
ny of prairie travel. Water was me
with spar ingly, indeed, and of poo
quality, but the brackish and turbi(
draught at any rate sufficed to ally tina
tormentipg thirst, which is the grea
terror Of the solitary wayfarer on tn os'
burning plains. Wherever there wa
water, too, there was pasture for M.
horse ;.while for my own sustenance.
was provided with tiny store of beef
cut in strips and dried in the sun il
Mexican fashion, and with bag O
parched maize combs. These with {
flask of French brandy, Spanish
poncho, and ammunition for my car
bine and revolver, made up all my
equipment, save only my canteen with
its lineup, and the leather saddle-bags
wherein were slowed away the money
destined to redeem the credit of Curtis
Brothers with their creditors at Chris
tobal On the evening of the third
day I halted in well watered .dell
near the head of creek, and at dis
lance, as l computed, Of one hundred
and twenty miles from Tucson. Eighty
miles more, at most. would carry IA e
to Fort Webster, and once a cross the
ella should be safe and could make
certain of completing my journey to
Cristobal. Hitherto l h ad met with
no living soul, friendly or hostile.
More than once I had fancied that on
the dim horizon had caught glimpse
of tall spears and feathered heads and
on one occasion / had beheld dis
tant cloud of dust arise from the bare
brown surface of the desert, but this
might as easily have been occasioned
by the passage of herd of bison or of
wild horses as of the Apaches or their
allies. My spirits rose as / proceeded
on my way, and began to feel con-
fdent of success.
On that night. lying wrapped in my
poncho, with my saddle for a pillow,
and my weapons within reach,I dreams
ed was at home again, and a boy
once more, for I saw my sisters faces
around me, and those of former friends
and playmates long dispersed, when
suddenly I was aroused by the shrill,
eager neighing of my horse, teathered
hard by, and, waking with start, OPP
ened my eyes to encounter the fierce
eyes glazing upon me from a hideous
painted face, bending over mine, and
so close as we'll nigh to touch it. /
felt an Indians hot breath upon my
cheek, as he stopped over me, while of
his purpose there could be little doubt,
for, as l could see by the dim light of
the dying watchfre, he was freshly
besmeared with war paint, and one
hand held a glittering knife. As |
started up, and grasped the butt of the
revolver lying beneath my head, the
Indians other hand clutched me by the
wrist, while again my steed neighed
shrilly, and as | propped myself on
one knee I could see that Sunbeam
was plunging and rearing violently,
while two dark forms were gliding
about the spot where the horse was
fastened, apparently intent on unfast-
ening the long lariat by viii Oh he was
battered to the ground.
There are confused recollections of
which memory is never able afterwards
wholly to unravel the tangled thread.
1 remember a brief, sharp struggle,
during which I twice received slight
Craze from the knife that the Apache
carried, and then my right wrist was
freed from the hand that grasped it,
and the sharp crack of the pistol broke
the stiffness Then, almost Immediate
", heard the thud Of galloping hoofs
upon the crisp turf of the praire, and
saw two mounted men, whose futter-
ing blankets and plumed heads pro
claimed their nationality, ride off into
the darkness At my feet lay my first
assailant. The two eagles feathers
fastened by silver brooch to his long
black hair denoted that he had been a
chief or principal warrior, while the
paint and tattooing proved hum to be-
long to the great tribe of Apaches,
My great source of anxiety LOW was,
lest the two braves who escaped should
have comrades within reach, and l at
oncedecided that to press on was my
wisest policy. It was now the dark hour
that precedes the dawn, but saddling
Sunbeam, whom found frettul and
agitated after his recent interview with
the red robbers, resumed my journey.
Up to this time l had spared my horse,
but now, heavy as was the sickly heat,
and long as were the hours to be spent
in traversing the brown desolate plain
without grass or water. | urged Sum
beam on, the shining peaks of the
Mmbres becoming more and more
distinctly visible as we sped on our