Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-08-09
Apaches in Field and Camu.

Apaches in marching is about an even
four miles an hour on foot or not quite
fast enough to make horse trot They
keep this up for about fifteen miles, at
the end of which distance, if water be
encountered and no enemy be sighted,
they congregate in bands of from ten to
fifteen each, hide in some convenient
ravine, sit down, smoke cigarettes, chat
and joke and stretch out in the sunlight,
basking like the negroes of the South.
If they want to make a little fire they
kindle one with matches, if they happen
to have any with them; if not, rapid
twirl between the palms of hard, round
stick, fitting into circular hole in an
other stick of softer fibre, will bring fire
in forty-five seconds.
The scouts explained though inter-
peters that they paint the face to pre-
vent the hot winds from blistering it;
for this purpose they make use of ante
lope blood, or juice of the roasted ''mes-
cal'' Century plant).
The short morning rest of the Apaches
was broken by the shrill cry of "Chod-
dee! Choddee!' (Antelope! Ante
lopeD and far away on the left the dull
"slump! slump!' of rifles told that the
Apaches on that flank were getting fresh
meat for the evening meal. Ten car
cases showed that they were not the
worst of shots. When the command
reached camp these restless, indefatiga-
BILE nomads built in a trice all kinds OF
rude shelters; those who had the army
"dog tents" put them up on frameworks
of willow or cottonwood saplings, others,
less fortunate, improvised domiciles of
branches, covered with grass, or of stone
and boards and pieces of gunnysacks.
Before these were finished smoke curled
gracefully toward the sky from crack
ling embers, in front of which transfix-
ed on wooden spits, were the heads,
hearts and livers of several of the VIC
Tins of the afternoons chase. Another
addition to the "spolia optima'' was a
cottontail rabbit, run down by these
feet-footed Bedouins of the Southwest.
Turkeys and quail, it is asserted by those
who know, are caught in the same man
ner, and your correspondent hasn't
doubt of the accuracy of the statement;
only he didn't see any such capture on
the march herein described. Meantime
a couple of scouts are making bread, the
light, thin ''tortillas' of the Mexicans,
baked quickly in pan, and not bad eat
ing. Two others are fraternally oc-
cupied in preparing their bed for the
night. Grass is pulled out by handfuls,
laid upon the ground and covered with
one blanket, another serving as cover.
These Indians, with scarcely an excep-
ton, sleep with their feet pointed to-
ward little fires, which they claim are
warm, while the big ones built by the
American soldiers are so hot that thev
drive people away from them and be-
sides attract the attention of any lurk-
ing enemy. At the foot of this bed an
Apache is playing upon a homemade
''fiddle" fabricated from the stalk of an
American aloe. 1t has four strings and
produces sound like the wall of cat
with her tail caught in the fence; but
the noble red man likes the music. En-
chanted and stimulated by the concord
of sweet sounds, party of six is playing
fiercely atthe Mexican game of Monte"
the cards employed being of native
manufacture, of horse hide. covered
with barbarous figures and well worthy
of place in any museum of curiosities.
The cooking is by this time ended,
and the savages, with genuine hospital
ity, invite the Americans near them to
join in their feast. 1t is not conducive
to the appetite to glance at the dirty
paws which are tearing the bread and
meat into small fragments; but one is
not obliged to look at such trivial details
if he does not want to. The meat is
tender and juicy, and the bread might
have been worse. The coffee is strong
and. not badly made. The Apaches
nearest. the Americans seem to think it
incumbent upon them to explain every
thing as the meal progresses. They say,
.This (pointing to the coffee) is tudish-
ishl (black wateD," and this is PAM
(the Spanish word for bread, adopted
by the tribe). Hunger being satisfied
the Americans withdraw, greatly pleas
ed by the unaffected courtesy and good
will of their savage allies.
All this time vedettes and scouts have
been posted, commanding every possible
line of approach. The Apache breads
surprise; 1t 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, reck-
lessness, agility and subtlety possessed
hy himself Chr ~ Y Herald