Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-06-15

der and juicy, and the bread might
have been worse. The coffee Is strong
and not badly made. The Apsches
nearest the Americans seem to think it
incumbent upon them to explain ev-
cry thing as the meal progresses. They
say, This fpointing to the coffee) is
tudishishl," (black water) and "this is
pan," 1.-THE Spanish word for bread,
adopted by the tribe). Hunger being
satisfied, the Americans withdraw,
greatly pleased with the unaffected
courtesy and good will of their savage
allies.
All this time videtses and scouts have
been posted, commanding every posi-
BILE line of approach. The Apache
breads surprise; it IS his own favorite
mode of destroying an enemy, and,
knowing what he himself can do, he
ascribes to his enemy, no matter how
Insignificant may be his numbers, the
same daring, recklessness, agility and
subtlety possessed by himself.
HOW THE APACHE LINES.
These Indians scouts Will march
thirty. five and forty miles in day on
foot, crossing wide stretches of water
less plains, upon which a tropical sun
beats down with fieIeeness, or climbing
up the faces of precipitous mountains,
which stretch across this region In every
direction. The two great points OF
superiority of the native or savage
soldier over the representative of civil
lied discipline are his absolute knowl-
edge of the country and his perfect
ability 10 take care of himself at all
times and under sill circumstances. II
the rays Ct the sun pour down from
the zenith, or the scorchiug sirocco
blow from the south, the Apache scout
trudges along as unconcernedly as he
was when the cold rain or snow of win
ter chills his white comrades to the
marrow. He finds food-and pretty
good food, too where the Caucasian
would starve. Knowing the habits of
wild animals from his earliest youth,
he can catch wild turkeys, quail, rab-
bits, doves or field mice, and perhaps
prairie dog or two, which will supply
him with meat.
WHAT HE EATS.
For some reason he cannot be in
duced to eat fish; and bacon, or any
product of the hog, is eaten only undor
duress; but the flesh of horse, mule
or jackass, which has dropped exhaust
ed on the march, and been left to die
by the trail, is delicious morsel which
the Apache seiz9s upon whenever pos
sible. The stunted oaks growing on
the mountain TANKS furnish acorns:
the Spanish bayonet, a fruit that, when
roasted IN the ashes of a camp fire,
looks and tastes something like the
banana.
APACHE CHARACTERISTICS.
Brought UP from chlldnood to the
use of arms of some kind-at first the
bow and arrow, and later on the rife
he is perfectly at home with his weap-
ons, and knowing from past experience
how important they are for his preser-
walton, takes much better care of them
than does the white soldier out of gar
rison. He does not read the newspa-
pers, but the great book Of nature is
open to his perusal, and has been drain
ed of much knowledge which his white
brother would be glad to acquire. Eg-
cry track in the trail, mark in the grass,
scratch On the bark of 3 tree, explains
itself to the untutored Apache. He can
tell to an hour almost when the man or
animal making them passed by, and,
like hound, will keep on the scent
until he catches up with the Office of
his pursuit.
In the presence of strangers the
Apache soldier is sedate and taciturn;
seated around his little apology for a
camp fire, In the communion of his
e. ~
versational. He is obedient to author
ity, but will not brook the restraints
which, under our notions of military
disciple, change men into machines.
He makes an excellent sentinel, and his
admirers assert that not single in
s ance can be adduced of property hav-
ing been stolen from or by an Apache
on guard. He has the pec1iiarity no.
ticed among SO many savage tribes in
various parts of the world of not caring
to give his true name to a stranger; II
asked for it he will either give q wrong
one or remain mute and let comrade
answer for hin. This rule does apply
when he has been dubbed with q sobri-
quet by the white soldiers; IN such
cases he will respond promptly, and tell
the inquirer that he is ''Slumpy" Tom
Thumb" "Bill," "Humpy SAM" or
"One-eyed RiIev," as the case may be.
AN ELEMENT IN THE SITUATION.
The white array OF the Unltid States
is a much better body OF ,fficers and
men than critical and censorious
public credits it with being. 1t repre-
sen,s intelligence of a high order, and
spirit of devotion to duty worthy of
high praise. But it does not represent
the acuteness of the savage races; it
cannot follow trail like a dog on the
scent. 1t may be brave and well dis
ciplined, but its members cannot tramp
to seventy-ive miles n day without
water, exposed to burning sun. No
civilized army can do that. 1t is one
of the faults of civilized training that
maa develops new wants, awakens new
necessities; becomes, in a word, more
and more creature of luxury. Take
the Apache Indian under the glaring
sun of this parched land of Southern
Arizona. He quietly "peefs" off all
his clothing and enjoys the fervor of
the day more than otherwise. He may
not be a great military genious, but he
is Injured to all sorts of fatigue, and will
be hilarious and joyiaI when the civ
iIized man is about to die of fatigue.
Crooks command has made sup
ply camp at San Bernardina Springs,
400 miles south of Fort Bowie and not
more than 100 yards north of the ma
tional boundary. From this point
Gen. Crook, with 200 Apache scouts,
and some forty to fifty picked officers
and soldiers, will strike the trail through
the rugged mountains near by, usually
followed by the Chiricahua Apaches
in their excursions from Mexico to our
own territory and vice versa.
Don CamerOn's Mithered Wife.
Washington special: | saw Mrs. DON
Gamer at B4rnum's circus the other
day. Sac was there with two or three
children. Sac has lost the brightness