The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-11-17

not disturb our minds as we rolled up
IN our blankets; thoughtful only Of our
rich finds, and feeling million
times richer than ever before. Scarce
ly had sleep fastened itself upon US
ere we were aroused by the sound of
galloplng horses and shouting Indians.
Who can picture the terrible feeling
Iof one aroused suddenly from slum5er
and pitched headlong Tito danger 7
shall not attempt to recall all that
passed through my mind in the brief
time between the first sound and sight
OF the enemy; NY first thought was
of my trusty weapon which | graspcd
firmly, and as lay waiting the mo-
ment Of death, which l concluded IN
evitable, an Indian rushed up to me
aud with many Wild gesticulations and
unlntelIlgable words dragged me out
of the tent; feeling that my time for
defence had come, | leveled my pistol
and fired, but without effect, the ball
passing over his back while in a stoop-
ing posture. at this my partner ex-
claimed, " don't fire again, let us be
friendly, they may mean no harm to
u.s. The Indian loosened his grasp
and uttering much rapid and unintel-
llgable language was lead away by an
other who seemed larnlessly disposed
and coming to me exclaimed, "no hurt
white man. and told US to keep
quiet till morning. They then placed
themselves, about twenty in number,
in position to guard US during the
night, not offering to molcst us Or any
Of our goods. What changes had
suddenly crept o'er the spiri, of our
dreams, how soon had all our cherish
ed hopes, and brilliant finds vanished
into thin air, and instead Of assure
vein laden with wire silver, we had
the swollen veins and weird features
fGthe ugly Utcs staring US in the face.
After long and weary night of
fearful watching and waiting, the
morning at last came, and there we
we're captives and at the mercy of a
frightful set Of savages. The Chief
approached us in a kindly way and
wished to know what business we had
there and what our intentions were
told him We were on Our way to
Gunnison, but had gotten off the
road and was lost, and begged
that he would guide US to the road, as
we were totally unable to find 1t; but
he didn't tumble to it worth cent,
but frowned, shook his head doubt
ingly and made a gesture unknown to
me, but which set every Indian around
US in motion. felt i'll at ease and
longed for the hre-side of my youth,
where in my childhood days read
about Indians in the pretty picture
books. l watched every motion Of
his lips, every twinkle of his eye; no
charm for me was there, no soothing
effect. | could discover no tender
sympathy lurking around the edges of
his make up. looked at my compan-
ion, his countenance bore the express
sion of one full Of trouble. When a
man lives bitter lite time in few
hours, his face will be mirror to re-
feet the violent compression Of exper-
ience; such was the face Of my sad
and unhappp partner but to this dis
tinctive expression which his face had
taken: Stamped there by horrld con-
temptation, by unutterable longlngs
for home, by hope fallen sick and
spiritless, by such things which did
really and truely Of these few hours of
his life make hell, vas superadded
1t this time, as We stood captlves of
these savage devils, a painful anxiety
Sd acute as to fix upon our hearts the
shadow of tormented fear. As my
rhrtner stood tremblingly surveying
the red devils, the blood came and
went in his face like the shadow OF
clouds on a moonlit land: Being
summoned by the Chief to pack up
Ind follow them, lelt that to obey
Vas prudence, to disobey death. So
With one eye upon the red skins and
The other on our work, We with much
reluctant speed was soon prepared to
&tart. Ia 90. whittier We knew not.