The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-12-05
SAVED BY A SANDSTONE.
AN ADVENTURE IN NEW MEXICO

AN ADVENTURE IN NEW AIEXICO.
/ The incident | am about to relate
! took place on the Jornada desert, the
route across which is called in the Ian
guage of the country, JOrnada del Meur-
/ te-jOurney of death
I II is a barren, treeless waste. stretch
ing for ninety miles along the Rio
GTande river, and extending eastward
to the White mountains, unwatered by
a single stream, and only one spot for
obtaining a supply of natures precious
beverage, known also by the OmninOus
! title of Ole del Meurte-spring of death
is found in the whole length of the
passage.
Scant vegetation exists in a few fav-
ored localities, but the greater part is a
CRASHES plain, alternating with vast
fields of white sand which, blown hither
and thither by the fierce winds that in
summer sweep over the torrid expanse,
look like biilowy seas on the horizon.
This tract would also be devoid of all
animal life but for the ceaselessly roam
ing red man, and the occasional herds
of antelope that speed fleetly from range
to range of the widely separated noun
tainS.
1t was on an occasion such as l have
Just noted. that | was led into the peril
Gus situation, from the dangers of which
one OF the natures wild and singular
phenomena interpOsed to save me.
WeaTied by the inactivities of a halt
made early in the day, Bob and l had
wandered forth to stretch our legs, and
look for antelope. The quest proving
fruitless, we now stood for a momenC
looking over the dreary prospect, with
J.,
the only living creatures. The sun,
still some hours high, beat down with
undated zeal upon the cleaning waste
and not a breath of air stirred to tan
our heated bTOws. Long, filmy, spiral
like clouds stood high i'll the azure hea-
vers, an indication of whirlwind in
those latitudes, we both knew; and Bob
eyeing them remarked:
"a good day for whirlwinds there
goes one now" pointing out to me a
slight cloud OF dust rising above a swell
of the plain far to our right. NO,
there's something moving Inere.' he
added, as several dark objects became
visible, bobbing up and down beyond
the rise.
"Our antelope, perhaps, - l suggested.
Antelope. not they. Antelope would
show more white. BY George, we are
L
returned my friend, steadily watching
the distant objects.
" IS, and there's lots of them, toO
Let's be off out of this before they see
us l exclaimed, as a dozen or more
savage forms, clustered together on the
mound, left no further room for doubt
rs to what species of animal they belong
ed.
They are bound to see us anyhow
They see us now. but We'll give 'em
long chase. Come on, cried Bob, lop-
ping OF at great rate as he spoke.
Taking one more look at the Indians
] saw that they were still there and
something more / saw, that which por-
tended yet greater danger to us. a
slender column of smoke was slowly
making its way into the still air. a
signal smoke Then there were more
of the red fiends around, whom these
were notifying of the discovery OF our
presence, and how much more l could
only conjecture.
Being a good runner i'll those days l
was soon alongside of Bob, shouting
what | had seen to him as we ran.
Il know the game. They have been
watching our uain and have seen us all
the time. They have set trap for us
divided up-and | reckon We are III a
fix" yelled Bob, glancing suspiciously
about, as if expecting to see an enemy
! spring out of the very sand at our feet.
/ Having nothing to do but run, held
my peace and did my best at that. The
/ course was an excellent one, Just yield
/ ing enough not to hurt the feet, and we
were III good condition for the race,
/ having been under diet and training in
! Uncle Sans hands for many months.
! Still, as we were some ten miles from
/ camp, to distance the trained runners OF
these witds in trial of so great length
I would. / feel. test our powers of endur-
! ance to their utmost. But | felt conf
/ dent of being able to reach a position
whence the sound of our rifles should be
heard in camp and quickly bring some
I of our comrades to our assistance ere
the party we had seen could Overta AXE us.
! My thoughts would dwell on the sig
! nal smoke | had seen, and wariiy watch
. ched and avoided, SO far as possible, the
occasional shallow riffs, left by some
! former deluge, that might serve rs pla-
ces of ambuScade to our implacable foes.
IF we only could gain some shelter
the case would not appear 50 desperate, =
I thought; for in all probability we could
defend ourselves against the enemy until
| succor should come. But here. on the
open plain, we were at the mercy of the
Indians, and would be surrounded, seal.
ped, and our bones be left to whiten on
the desert sands.
Such thoughts as these filed my mind
as glanced back every few moments al
the pursuing band Of redskins, each time
to see them nearer, and coming on viii
the rapidity and ease of a prize runner a
Gilmore S. What Bob thought of tn.
situation ] knew not He was pulling
on vigorously, and his face wore an eX
preston l had learned TO Interpret rs on,
of great determination.
Bob would die hard Both Of u