The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-03-13
A DOUBLE ADVENTURE.
Bcset by Apache Indians and IN tine
Tolls OF Robbers.
From the San Francisco Chronicle

,,a,f-conuettish radiance, threw upon theii
s,,ch rich and gorgeous tints as tbey eau |
on;y bestow at the last momehls oi the,l
denartino glory. Far away before us Is
Stretched seemingly fnterminabie pam, |
which extended beyond the sunbeains 'nlo
the gray twilight Of the distant east, anu
there. mis,ily portrayed against the SKY
like a vague and imperfect dream, and
annaren,ly as void OF firm foundatlon'
the SUBMITS Of the Sierra Madre rose tow
erinc hcavenward. Here and there dense
masses OF foliage, deepening and darken,nS
irto increasing depths OF shade, benued SO
almost imperceptib,y with the outstretcning
shadows which they cast that IL was olu-
cnlt IN fell where the reality ceased and the
shadow began. Myriads OF birds were
hocking from the open portions OF the pam
into the recesseS OF the sombre foliage, ane
with noisy and vociferous twitter'nss were
ouarrclling tor the occupancy OF thelr Ia
yori.e roosting. place upon some Wen
screened twig. There are times when Sc
lcncc will fall upon agroup OF travellers,
orie,iv. steadily, calmly, and peaccap'y,
ike snow. flakes upon the ground. without
anv apparent cause. The group that
shortly before were engaged in earnest
conversation, and whose tones were per-
suasiye or vehement, as the case might De,
and whose hearty laughter at some uneA-
nacted sally CT wit or humorous NARRATION
rang out with free and merry tone, VII,
Suddenly become voiceleSs rs statues ana
.s silent as il stricken with dumbness. III
was so with our little group OF three g Aine-
ricauos," and one Mayo Indian, VINO was
acting in the double capacity OF guide ana
servant. as we rode over one OF those Dfoad
plains which are so frequently found upon
the coast-linc OF Sinaloa. We had feit the
influence OF the increasing darkness, ana rs
the gloom OF evening fell upon us 10 nusneo
us into a silence which was only diStuTDea
by the tramp OF our mules, the voices OF the
h;rds and the hum of insect life. One by
one the stars shonc out upon lis, until the
arch above Us was radiant with their my
riad scintiuations. There had not been for
several leagues any token OF human
jewellers on our route, and it almost
seemed as il our little company were the
only inhabitants OF the region we were ira
yersing. Suddenly, as we passed. by
cluster of low shrubs, our mules prlcked
IN their cars, and evidently trembling with
fear. made an abrupt divergence from the
trail, and broke into a quick run from the
bushes toward an open space. The move
vent was so unexpected that it nearly un-
seated me, but as ! struggled to regain my |
position thought l saw in the dark
shadows OF the bushes one or two men,
and heard their low-toned voices as they |
gave utterance TO some expression IN a IAN
euaye did not comprehend. DeemlnS 1t
best to be ready for any emergency, us soon
rs I was firmly seated in my saddle again L
drew one OF my reyolverS, and held 1t III
readiness for immediate use, il ncceS-
sary. We soon had placed several hundred
Yards or distance between us and the bushes.
it was then that our guide placed his fingers
upon hls lips as q caution to be silent,
and with M expressive gesture motloncd
lis 10 be on our guard. 1t was none too
soon. for at the same instant sharp whiz-
zing sound passed through the air near u,
and from the noise made by some OBJECT
striking into the gravel short distance be-
You'd, | knew that an arrow, failing OF MT
ting ITS mark, had struck the earth instead
of It's intended victim. Only one word was
spoken, and that was an almost inaudlble
whisper by the guide, who uttered
"Apache |" at the same time squirting his
mule into rapid run. We followed his cx-
ample, keeping out into the open PLAIN
and avoiding all clusters of foliage. Look
ing back upon our course, saw .Wo or
three savages making detour so as to come
upon our track some short distance ahead,
and as one OF them, not aware that had seen
him, ran across an open space from one clus-
erto another of the mesquite bushes, drew |
bead on him and fired. lie tumDied so sud
denly that another a pache who was close be-
hind him fell over him, and as he trled TO re-
gain his feet second shot, this time from
the guide, dropped him also. AT The same
instant a shower OF arrows passed near Us,
one of them hitting one OF my companions
in his shoulder, making ragged hole in his |
coat and merely scratching the skin. For
turatcly for us the Indians were on foot,
and, although they were expert runners,
they dared not make free use Of their speed.
LEST the fate that had befa!len their two !
comrades might also be theirs. After an
hours rapid ride we reached the adobe |
house of half-brccd Mexican, fellow |
with most villanous expression OF coun-
tenance, and, securing our mules in strong
corral and giving them some feed, we placed
our baggage in the house and prepared TOT
supper, AIDED by our host and his wife,
young and rather pretty female OF about
eighteen years of aye. Fearing an attack
from the Indians, the fire was eNtln'
gujshed as soon as our hasty meal was eaten,
and we all sat silent in the intense darkness.
Not sound was heard, either without or
within the house, except the crunchlnS or
the food rs it was eaten by the mules. Ihat
sound soon ceased 80 suddenly that it al
most appeared as il we could bear it break
off into silence. Not one Of Us moved, or
appeared to, at least. was almost startled
into an exclamation Of alarm as suddenly
felt hand placed lightly on my shoulder,
as il some one was feeling his way in the
darkness. 1t was withdrawn as suddenly
rs it was placed there, and not knowing but
that tile next moment it would be followed
by the keen edge Of murderous knife, l
noiselessly moved foot or so from The seat
T had occupied. I had scarcely accom- |
plished this action when an oath was ut |
tered. and at the same time some one fell
over the seat had left. Instantly we were
all upon our feet, but maintained breath
less silence, each waiting for some movement
of the others; for in the intense darkness
nothing could be seen. The brief moment
that this silence lasted appeared to me like
an hour or more OF time. Then noise
was made by some one making misstep in
the room, and instantly it was Iightened 0y
the flash OF pistol, and the shrek OF the
woman rose in n tone OF agony upon the
stiffness of the night. Following tue re-
Dort OF the pistol came that OF another, so
suddenly that 1t almost appeared to be the
same, and body fell with dull thud upon
the earthen floor Of the room. That one
shrek OF the woman was all she uttered
il was her last utterance, and she must have
died ere it had fully passed her lips. AS
the light OF the first pistol-1ash was seen
our guide, who had providentially been
facing the spot where the oath APP
peared to proceed from, with bis pistol
extended to fire upon the least noise |
in that direction, saw the face OF the half
breed and fired at him on the instant with |
daddy and accurate aim There WAS N com.