Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-26
A 3 ADVENTURE
Bssst by Apaches and IN the Tolls Of
RObhers---A Night Of HORROR
Murderous Apaches and a Fair
WOuld-be Assassin - A
lucky Escape.

WOuld-be Assassin - A
Lucky Escape,
San Francisco Chronielel
Night was fast approaching the
! slanting SunbeamS fell in q dreamy
sort Of indolent beauty upon the oc-
casiOnal cactus or the bushy mesquite,
and d~allying with their thorny
branches in a half-careless and half
coquettish radiance, threw upon them
such rich and gorgeous tints as they
can only beStow at the last moments
of their departing glory. Far away
before us stretched a seemingly inter
minable plain, which extended beyond
the sunbeams into the gray twilight
of the distant east and there, mistily
portrayed against the sky like a vague
and imperfect dream and apparently
as void of a firm foundation. the sum-
mits Of the Sierra Madre rose tower
ing heavenward. Here and there
dense masses of foliage, deepening aud
darkening into increasing depths of
shade, blended so almost impercepti-
bly, with the outstretching shadows
which they cast that it was difficult to
tell where the reality ceased and the
shadows began, Myrids of birds were
hoeking from the open portions of the.
plain into the recesses of the sombre
foliage, and with noisy and vociferous
twitterings were quarreling for the
occupancy of their favorite roosting
place upon some well screened twig,
There are times when silence will fall
upon a group of travellers, quietly,
steadily, calmly and ~peaceably, like
snow-hakes upon the ground, without
any apparent cause. The group that
shortly before were engaged in earnest
conversation, and whose tones were
persuasive or vehement, as the case
might be, and whose hearty laughter
at some unexpected sally of wit or
humorous narration, rang out with a
free and merry tone, will suddenly be-
come voicelesS as statues and as silent
as if stricken with dumbness. 1t was
so with our little group Of three
"Americanosn and one Mayo Indian,
who was acting in the double capacity
Of guide and servant, as we rode over
one of those broad plains which are so
frequently found upon the coast line
of Sinaloa. We had felt the influence
of the
INCREASING DARKNESS,
and as the gloom of the evening fell
upon us it hushed us into a silence
which was only disturbed by the
tramp of our mules, the voices of the
birds and the hum of insectslife. One
by one the stars shOne out upon us,
until, the arch above us was radiant
with their myriad scintillations.
There had not been for several leagues
any token of human dwellers on our
route, and it almost seemed as if our
little company we're the only inhabi-
tants Of the region we were traversing.
Suddenly, as we passed by a cluster of
low shrubs, our mules pricked up
their ears, 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 movement was so unex-
pected hat it nearly unseated me, but
as | struggled to regain my position, |
thought | 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
guage that | did not comprehend.
Deeming it best to be ready for any
emergency, as soon as | was firmly
seated in my saddle again | drew one
of my revolvers and held it in readi-
ness for immediate use, if neces-
sary. We o o had placed several
yards of distance between us and the
bushes; it was then that our
guide placed his fingers upon
his lips as a caution to be silent, and
with an expressive gesture motioned
us to be on our guard. 1t was none
too soon, for at the same instant a
sharp, whizzing sound passed through
the air near us, and from the noise
made by some object striking into the
gravel a short distance beyond, knew
that an arrow failing of hitting its
mark had struck the earth instead of
its intended victim. Only one word
was spoken, and that was in an almost
insudible whisper by the guide, who
uttered Apache = at the same time
squirting his mule into a rapid run.
We followed his example, keeping out
into the open plain, and avoiding all
clusters of foliage. Looking back
upon our course, | saw two or three
sayages making a 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 ono cluster to an
other of the mesquite bushes, | drew
a bead on him and fred. He tumbled
SO suddenly that another Apache who
was close behind him fell over him.
and as he tried to regain his feet. a
second shot, this time from the guide.
dropped him also. AT the same in
slant
a SHOWER or ARROWS
passed near us, one of them hitting
one Of my companions in his shoulder.
making a ragged hole in his coat and
merely scratching the skin. Fortu-
nately for US the Indians we're on foot.
and although they we're expert run
Rers, they dared not make the free