The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-02-05
SAVED BY A SANDSTONE.


The incident am about to relate took
place on the .5ornada Desert, the route
across which is called, in the language
of the country, sJournada del Meurte-
journey of death.
1t is a barren, treeless waste, stretch
ing for'90 miles along the Rio Grande
River, and extending eastward to the
White Mountains, unwatered by a sim
gle stream, and only one spot for OBJ
tanning a supply of natures precious
beverage-known also by the ominous
title OF Ojo del Meurte (spring of DEATH
is found in the whole length of the
passage.
Scant vegetation exists in few IA
yored localities, but the greater part is
a CRASHES plain, alternating with vast
fields of white sand, which, blown hith-
er and thither by the fierce winds that
In summer sweep over the torrid ex-
panse, look like bi'lowy seas on the hor-
lion. This tract would also be devoid
of all animal life, but for the ceaseless-
~ roaming red man, and the occasional
herds of antelope that speed feetly from
range to range of the widely separated
mountains
1t was on an occasion such as have
Just noted, that was led into the per-
llous situation, from the dangers of
which one of Natures wild and sim
gular phenomena interposed to save
me. Wearied by the inactivities of a
halt made early in the day, Bob and I
had wandered forth to stretch our legs,
and look for antelope. The quest prov
ing fruitless, we now stood for mo-
ment looking over the dreary prospect,
within whose desert sweep we seemed
to be the only living creatures. The
sun, still some hours high, beat down
with undated zeal upon the cleaning
waste, and not bre ath of air stirred to
fan our heated brows. Long, filmy,
spiral-ike clouds stood high in the azure
heavens, an indication of a whirlwind
in those latitudes, we both knew; and
Bob, cycling them, remarked:
"a good day for whirlwinds there goes
one now,n pointing out to me a slight
cloud of dust rising above swell of the
plain far to cur right. "No, there's
something moving there,' he added, as
several dark objects became visible,
bobbing up and down beyond the rise.
"Our antelope, perhaps" I sug-
gested.
"Antelope' not they. Antelope
would show more white. By George,
we are in for it! / believe those are
Indians retained my friend, steadily
watching the distant objects.
es, and there's a lot of them, too.
Let's be off out of this before they see
u.s." exclaimed, as a dozen or more
savage forms clustered together on. the
mound, left no further room for doubt
as to what species of animal they be-
longed.
They are bound to see us any how.
They see US BOW, but Wen give 'em a
long chase. Come on" cried Bob, lop-
ing off at great rate as he spoke.
Taking one more look at the Indians,
saw that they were still there; and
more saw, that which por
tended yet greater danger to us. A
slender column of smoke was SLOWLY
its way into the still air. A sig
nal smoke? Then there were more of
the red fiends around, whom these were
notifying of The discovery of our pres
SAANS$ GIN INV IuuCH cOulQ OnlV
conjecture.
Being good runner in those days, |
was soon alongside of Bob, shouting
what1 had seen to him as we ran.
81 know the game. They have been
our train and have seen us all
he time. They have set a trap for US
1ivided us-and l reckon we are in a
tx" 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 |
ny peace and did my best at that. The |
course was an excellent one, Just Weld |
ng enough not to hurt the feet, and we
we're in good condition for the race,
laving been under diet and training in
Jncle Sans hands for many months. /
still, as we were some ten miles from
amp, to distance the trained runners of
hese wilds in a trial of so nreat a Ienutb