The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-05-13
SAVED BY 4 SAND STORM.
An ADVENTURE N NEW MEXICO.

place on the tornado Desert, the route
I across which is called, in the language
of the country, Journada del Meurte-
journey Of death.
It is a barren, treeless waste, stretch
ing for 50 miles along the Rio Grande
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 ominous title Of Ojo
del Meurte Spring Of death)-is found
in the whole length Of the passage,
Scant vegetation exists in few favor
ed localities, bat the greater part IS a
grassless 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 ezpanse,
look like billowy seas on the horizon
This tract wouId also be devoid of all an
imal life but for the ceaselessly roaming
red man, and the occasional nerds Of an
telope 'that speed feetly from range to
range of the widely separated mountains.
IT was on al occasion such as 1 have
just noted, that / was led into the peril
( Gus situation, from the dangers Of which
I one Of Nature. S wild and singular pheno-
mena interposed to save me. Wearied
by the inactivites of a halt made EARLY in
the day, Bob and I had wandered forth
tc stretch our legs. and look for antelope.
The quest proving fruitless, enow stood
for a moment 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 unabated zeal, upon the gleam-
ing waste and not breath of air stirred
to fan our heated brows Long flmy,
spiraI-like clouds stood high in the azure
heavens, an indication of whirlwind in
those ATTITUDES, We both knew; and Bob,
eyeing them, remarked:
- good day for whirlwinds; there
goes one now, . pointing out to me a slight
cloud of dust rising above a swell of tue
/ plain far to our right. 'No, there is
something moving there" he added as
several dark objects became visible, bob.
bing up and down beyond the rise. "Our
antelope perhaps, suggested.
'Autelope not they. Antelope would
show more white. BY George, We are
in for it! believe those are Indians"
I ar-g,,,.4,s1 R-:-I. -I--l:ls- --A-1. i,,I~
the distant objects.
''Yes, and there's lot of them, too
Let's he off out of this before they see
u.s." I exclaimed, as a dozen or more
savage forms clustered together "a the
mound, left no further room for doubt
as to what species Of animal they belong
ed.
They are bound to see us any how.
They see US now, but weIl give EN-
long chase. Come on, cried Bob, lop-
ing off at a great rate as he spoke.
Taking one more look at the Indians,
l saw that they were sill there; and
something more / saw, that which por-
tended yet greater danger to us. i slen-
der column of smoke was slowly making
its way into the still air. \ signal smoke!
/ Then there were more of the red fends
around. whom these were notifying Of the
discovery of our presence, and how much
more / could only conjecture.
/ Being a good runner in those days, L
was soon alongside of Bob, shouting
what | had seen to him as we ran.
II know the game, They have been
Watching our trail and have seen US all
5ua time They have set trap for US
divided us-anl I reckon we are in a
fix" yelled Bob, glancing suspioiousIy
about, as if expecting to see an enemy
spring out Of the very sand at our feet.
Having nothing to 90 but run, held
my peace and did my best at that. The
course was au excellent one, just yielding
enough not 10 hart the feet, and we We're
in good condition for the race, having
been in diet and training in Uncle Sam 5
for many months. SiIl, as we were
some ten miles from camp, to distance
tie trained runners Of these w;ils il a
trial of 50 great length would. felt,
( test our powers of endurance to their nj
most. But I felt confident OF being able
to reach a position whence the sound Of
our rifles would be heard in camp and
quickly briug some Of our comrades to
our assistance ere the party we had seen
could overtake Us.
My thoughts wonld dwell on the sig
nal smoke l had seen, and warily watch
Ell and avoided, so far as possible the
occasional shallow riffs, left by some for
mer delage, that might serve as places
of ambuscade to our implacable foes.
IF we only might gain some shelter,
the ease would not appear so desperate. -
/ thought; for in all probality 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, scalp
ed, ana our bones be LETT 10 whiten on
the desert sands.
Such thoughts as these filed my mind
as I glanced back every few moments at
the pursuing band OF redskins. each time
to see them nearer, and coming on with
the rapidity ease of a prize runner at
Gllmore's. What Bob thought Of tie
situation l knew not. He vas pulling
on vigorously, and his face wore an ex-
preston l had learned to interpret as
one Of great determination.
Bob would die hard. Both of us
would die hard ( knew; aud more than
one savage would fail to be in ut the
lifting" OF our hair. Bob and had. as