Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-01-26

strips and dried IN the sun, IN MeXl-
can fashion, and with a bag of parch-
ed maize-cObs. These, with a flask
OF French brandy, a Spanish pOncha,
and ammunition for carbine and re-
voiver, made up all my equipment,
save only my canteen, with its tin
cup and the leather saddle bags
wherein were slowed away the gold
and greenbacks necessary to redeem
the credit of Curtis Brothers with
their creditors at Cristobal. On the
evening of the third day l halted in
a well watered dell near the head of
creek, and at a distance, as ! COM
puted, of I2O miles from Tucson; so
miles more. at most, would carry me
TO Fort Webster; and once across
the ella l should be safe, and could
make certain of completing my jour
ney to CristObal. Hitherto / had met
with no living soul, friendly or hos
tile. More than once Ihad fancied
that on the verge of the dim horizon
l had caught a glimpse of tall spears
and feathered heads; and on one oc-
casion | beheld distant cloud of
dust arise from the bare, brown sur
face of the desert; but this might as
easily have been OccasiOned by the
passage Of a herd of bison or of wild
horses, as of the Apaches or their al
lies. My spirits rose as 1 proceeded
on my way, and l began to feel con-
tident of success.
On that night, lying wrapped in
my poncha, with my saddle for
pillow, and my weapons within
reach, l dreamed 1 was at home
again in old England, and boy
once more, for l saw my sisters faces
round me, and those of my former
friends and pIaymates long dispers-
ed, when suddenly l was aroused by
the shrill, eager neighing of my
horse, tethered close by, and waking
with a start, opened my eyes to en-
counter the fierce eyes glaring upon
me from a hideous painted face,
bending over me, and so close as to
well-nigh touch it. l felt an Indians
hot breath upon my cheek, as he
stood over me, while of his purpose
there could be little doubt, for, as
could see by the dim light of the dy-
ing watch-fre, he was freshly be
smeared 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; as PrOpped myself
on one knee | could see that Sun
beam was plunging and rearing vio-
Iently, while two dark forms were
gliding about the spot where the
horse was fastened, apparently in
tent on unfastening the long lariat
by which he was haltered to the
ground.
There are confused recollections
Of which memory isnever able after
wards wholly to unravel the tangled
thread. l remember a brief, sharp
struggle, during which 1 twice re-
ceived a 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, as three shots
we're successively fired, broke the
stiffness. Then almost Immediately
l heard the thud of galloping hoofs
upon the crisp turf of the prairie,
and saw two mounted men, whose
fiuttering blankets and plumed heads
proclaimed their nationality, ride of
into the darkness. At my feet lay
my first assailant. His hand, when
l lifted it, fell back to earth, and his
grim features, bedaubed with streaks
of yellow, white and black, were
stiffening fast in death. The two ca
giles feathers, fastened by a silver
brooch to his long, black hair, de-
noted that he had been a chief OF
principal warrior, while the paint
and tattooing proved him to belong
to the great tribe of the Apaches.
My great source of anxiety now
was lest the two braves who had es-
capped should have comrades within
reach, and | at once decided that tC
press on was my wisest policy. It
was now the dark, chill hour that pre-
cedes the dawn, but saddling Sun
beam, whom | found fretful and agi-
tated after his recent interview with
the red robbers, l resumed my jour.
ney. 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, l urged Sunbeam on, the
shining peaks of the Mimbres be
coming more and more distinctly
visible as we sped upon our way
Poor Sunbeam showed for the frs
time signs of distress when we halt
ed beside a stream, the brackish wa
ters of which seemed to burn the
thirsty lips that craved for them
but we were now, as l computed
within three hours of the river Gila
beyond which was safety.
The sterile, stony desert which
spread itself before me, when, OF
the next morning, my jaded steed
and l again set forth upon the track,
was almost bare of verdure. The
drought and heat of the scorching
sun had withered every green blade,
while pools and creeks which ought
to have been full of sweet, pure wa
ter, were now mele belts of shingle
or hollows paved with dried clay;
shared the last drops of the precious
fluid | carried in my canteen, and
the last of the bleached corn, with
Sunbeam, and the good horse seem
ed as though he were grateful for
and understood the kindness, for he
rubbed his velvet muzzle caressing
| ly against my hand as | stroked hi
neck, no longer sleek and smooth a,
satin, for fatigue and privation haC
roughened his coat and dimmed tht
fire in his eye. Suddenly, as
stood beside him. l looked back
and saw, what for the moment
made my very heart cease to beat
| as If an iCV tOuch had frozen th.