The National tribune., 1882-09-28

range, and feeling sure they had but one
round of ammunition with them, we paid no
attention to their threats. No shots were fred
at US, but threats 10 shoot were repeated as
long as we were in hearing.
Although we had hurried considerably, we
discovered Trippe was ont Of sight. and we in
creased our speed as much to get Il view Of
him as to gain on our pursuers. We had gone
but a few yards after so doing before we came
TO Trippe lying on the ground, near a large
crevice or opening in huge rock. He was
completely exhausted, and unable 10 speak or
make himself understood. We scarcely halted
on reaching Tmppe, as three or four of the con-
federates had gained the top Of the ridge north
of the gorge, and were yelling at us to halt and
surrender. They were not more than "a hun
dred yards distant, but many rocks of huge
proportions iutervoned between them and our
selves Trippe At this moment motioned to us
with both arms, and then began crawling into
the opening in the rock near him. What he
wished rs to do we did not knew and had no
opportunity of ascertaiHing, as we were obliged
to fee for our own safety. He attempted to
speak, but could not.
I'VE left Trippe TO his fate, and hurried on
of hearing of the rebels. When we were be-
yond the immediate reach of the enemy, it
was question with us whether we should
pause for few moments, to see if Trippe had
escaped their notice, or push ahead. We halted
and listened for few minutes, but heard moth
ing. We concluded the enemy had found
TIippe, and were now looking among the
rocks for us and determined to push for
ward. We kept on the top Of the ridge for
the distance of nearly two miles, when we
came to gorge leading down the western
slope of the mountain into the valley We fol-
lowed down this gorge until we were fully
halfway to the valley. In place entirely
surrounded by cedar bushes, we halted to rest
The sides Of the gorge were high and rugged,
ard huge rocks projected from them and hung
almost directly over our heads No sound fell
upon our ears; not even of the wind gently
blowing, or of running waters low murmur
1t was truly place of solitude. The unfortu-
nate event Of the evening, the loss of our COM
rade, made it doubly sad and solitary to US
As we had made very few, if any, footprints,
We knew the enemy could not easily trace US,
and, though sorrowing and detected in spirit,
we felt safe in the loneliness and scciusion of
the place. We felt deeply the loss we had sus-
tained in our separation from Trippe, as we
had hitherto deferred to him III all the straits
and critical situations in which we had been
placed. 1t was the second time he had been
recaptured-if really Te-ptured this time
and foiled in his attempts to escape prison, and
on that account we felt sorry for him. We
called to mind the reluctance manifested by
him to starting with us on the trip to the
lines; also his great discouragemcnt when he
came across the citizen in the woods. about ten
days previously. We conjectured the rebels
had certainly found Trippe. We coniectured,
too, that Trippe, in motiOning to US, had in
tended to be understood as directing Us to hide,
as he was doing; that the rebels would ques-
tion him as to where the rest of US were, and !
that he would answer that we were hid among
the rocks somewhere near; that they would /
look for Us, and, failing to find u.s. would ac-
cuse him Of deceiving and delaying them in /
their pursuit Of us until we were out of reach |
Taking this view of the matter we feared the /
rebels would become exasperated at Trippe |
and would treat him cruelty, if they did not
murder him. Whatever the result of the fray
might have been to Trippe, We knew we were