The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-11-25
THE SCOUTS LAST SHOT.
AFrontier tragedy In which One White
Manand Thirty Indians Figured.

Man and Thirty In adams Figured.
1t is ten o'clock in the morning. The
honey bees are darting over the prairie
in search OF the sweet flowers, butter
flies float on lazy wings, and birds are
singing their sweetest songs. 1t Is
scene of deepest peace. Away to the
right is the Little Bear Range OF noun
tains-to the lett the prairie ocean ex-
tends as far as the eye csn reach. Ten |
and q SPRING behind are thirty halt |
naked savages on horseback.
Here is frontier scout as the pivot on |
which the scenery swings. On his way |
from fort to fort with dispatches his |
trail has been struck by war party o.
Pawnees, and they have hung to it
since dark last night, following it across
the levels and over the swells at a slow
but never-ending gaIlop. They knew
that be was full hundred miles from
help, and they knew that his bloody
scalp would add another to their
trophies.
scout as ne looked back at dusk and
saw them coming at slow gallop over
his trail. They could not have over
in gallop of fifty they would tire him
out.
At an easy gallop of five miles an hour
the mustang forged ahead through the
long and weary night, changing his
pace only when the rider got down and
ran beside him.
Two miles behind him, riding thirty
abreast and covering front of half a.
mile, followed the implacable foe, gain
ing a little, losing little, but ever con.
6dent.
When the sun came up from his
prairie bed not a savage was missing.
The scout turned in his saddle and
counted them, looke1 ahead for land
marks, and coolly said:
"You took the chances and you have
lost, but you will die game"
The mustang was almost blown. For
| the last half hour he had labored heavi-
ly, . nd had almost been held up by the
| bits.
"The grove would have been better
place, but the end would have been the
same," said the scout as he drew up and
| dismounted.
The Indians were two miles away. In
ten minutes they would be within rifle
shot.
Goodbye, old pard-I must do it,"
said the scout, as he took hold of the
mustangs head and drew his knife
across the faithful equine's throat.
| He wanted breastwork, and here he
had it. Two minutes were time enough
to cut bride and saddle to pieces, and
then he mounted the be dy of his dead
friend and calmly waited the approach
of the Indians.
No shout of triumph was sent across
the prairie as he was brought to bay.
That had been a strange chase. They
had suddenly appeared on his trail with.
out a sound, seeming to rise out of fsome
fissure in the fower-covered prairie
Not once through the long night had the
scout heard from them except as he
dropped from the saddle and placed his
ear to the ground. But for the steady
thud! thud! of their horses feet he
might have almost made himself be-
lieve that he was being pursued by
shadows.
"Sixteen bullets in this Winchester
and six in the revolver" soliloquized the
scout as the Indians were within mile
of the spot. Did they mean to ride him
downP Each rider was bent over his
horses neck, and each kept the pace he
had had for hours.
my sculp is worth the sculp of ten
Indians!" said the scout as he raised his
rifle, but mebbe can't get over six OF
stven."
Straight at him rode the line of thirty
redskins until he raised his rifle for q
shot. Then the band divided right and
left and inclosed him in circle. Not q
shout from any tongue. 1t might have
been called still hunt.
The line was out of rihe-shot at first
out it gradually worked nearer anc
nearer, and at last tie report of the
scouts rifle broke the stiffness of the
morning.
Twenty leiti" he said as ht
threw out the empty shell.
Not a shot came from the Indians il
reply. Every warrior threw himself OF
the opposite side of his horse, and the
hardy ponies followed the circle at I
steady gallop.
Twenty eight left!". said the scou
as he fired again.
/ No shout or shot in reply, but the cir
Gle was growing narrower.
Twenty-seven leftm
Three of the horses in the ring wer
galloping without riders.
"Twenty-six left!"
The scout had fired coolly and de
, liberately, shooting every victim
through the head. His rifle hao
, longer range than thos, of the Indians
! but now they were near enough to opel
in reply.
, "Twenty-6ve left!" he said as anothe
, savage fell into the grass with wilt
! scream ofrage and pain.
Five of the thirty were dead Now
yell runs around the circle. and every
|, horse turns his head toward the CON
: mon center and charges the scout.
s Puff! bang! puff! bang! bang
nangm
! Three horses went down and tw
!. more riders fell backward from thei
saddles.
"Twenty-three lefLl" counted th
scout, as he dropped the gun and levele
mis- revolver.
a They were upon him. They shot {
e him, struck at him, and tried to rid
Q over him.
d Puff! bang! puff! bangw
.e Five shots struck men or horses, an
,f when the hammer fell for the sixth tin
Ie it sent the last bullet into the brain I
10 the scout.
le Nine Indians were lying dead aroun
ID the pivot, three more were wounds
a. and five or six horses were disabled. A
it this tor single scalp and the glory
: shooting brave mans dead body fu
:" of arrows, cutting off head, hands al
at feet, and shrieking like demons as ii
le blood spurted far over the rich gre
e, grass.
as When they rode away the body was
shapeless mass. Itwould rest there du
ing the day, and when night came t
wolves would come sneaking from hi
| 4 f<NA t<.f fbal laok