The banner-enterprise. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1883-18??, 1883-06-07
WITH THE APACHE SCOUTS.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE INDIAN
ALLIES ON THE FRONTIER.
Physical and Mental characteristics of the
Indian ScOuts--IIOw They Live OH the
March and i'm Camp.

has been travelling with the Apache
scouts, advance guides Of the United
States troops on the Mexican frontier,
and writing about their peculiarities,
he says:
Their chests were broad, deep and
full shoulders perfectly straight,
limbs well proportioned, straight and
muscular. without a suggestion of I'M
due heaviness. Hands and feet are
small and taper, but wry. Their
heads are well shaped, and their coun-
tenances often lit up with pleasant,
good-natured expression, which would
be more constant, perhaps, were it not
for the savage, untamed cast impaired
by the loose, dishevelei, gypsy locks
of raven black, held away from the
face by broad, flat band of scarlet
cloth. Their eyes are bright, clear and
bold, and, if little experience enables
one to judge accurately, are frequently
expressive of the greatest good humor
and satisfaction. Uniforms are issued
to them, but donned upon ceremonial
occasions only. On the march each
wore loosely-fitting shirt of red,
white or gray stuff, generally of calico
in some gaudy figure, but not infre-
quently the somber article of wooden
raiment issued to white soldiers. This
came down outside pair of loose cot
ton drawers reaching to the moccasins.
The moccasins are their most important
article ofapparel. In afght or on long
march it is said that they will discard
all else, but under any and every cir
cumstance will retain the moccaSin. A
leather belt encircling the waist holds
forty rounds of metallic cartridges,
and also keeps in place the regulation
blue blouse and pantaloons, which are
worn upon the person only when the
Indian scout is anxious to "paralyze"
the frontier towns or military posts by
a display of all his finery. The other
trapping5 of these savage auxiliaries
are a Springfield bre9ch-loading rifle,
army pattern a canteen full of water,
butcher knife, an awl in a leather
case, pair of twaezers and a tag.
The awl is used for sewing mOccasins
or work of that kind. With the twee-
zers the Apache young man carefully
picks out each and every hair appear
ing upon his face. The tag marks his
place in the tribe and is in reality moth
ing more or less than a revival of a
plan adopted during the civil war for
the identification of soldiers belonging
to the different corps and divisions.
Each male Indian at the San Carlos is
tagged and numbered and a descriptive
llSJ corresponding to the tag kept,
with full recital of all his phi 7sical
pecul arities.
The rate of speed attained by the
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 ten to
fifteen each, hide in some convenient
ravine, sit down, smoke cigarettes, chat
and joke and stretch out in the sun
light. If they want to make little
fire they kindle one with matches, if
they have any with them if not, a
rapid twirl between the palms of
hard, round stick, fitting into circular
hole in another stick of softer fiber,
will bring fire in forty-fve seconds.
ThescoutS also paint the face to prevent
the hot winds from blistering it for
this purpose they make use of antelope
blood, or the juice of the roasted
"mescal" Century plant.
The short morning rest of the
Apaches was broken by the shrill cry
of "Choddee Chod lee" (Antelope
Antelope y and far away on the left
the dull slump. slump" of rifle; told
that the Apaches on that flank were
getting fresh meat for the evening
meal. Ten carca's2s Shove that they
were not the worst of shots, and your
correspondent takes pleasure in assert
ing that they are not by any means
bad cooks. When the command
reached camp these restless, indeGati
gable nomadi built in trca all kinds
of rude shelters those that had the
army dog tents" put them up on frame
works of willow or cottonwood sap
lings; Others, less fortunate, improvised
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 cracking embers,
in front of which, transhxed on
wooden spit1, were the heads, hearts
and liverS of several Of the victims of
the afternoons chase. Another addi-
tion to the "spolia optima' was cot
tontail rabbit, run down by these fleet
footed Bedouins of the Southwest.
Turkey and quail, it is asserted by
those who know, are caught in the
same manner. Meantime q couple of
scouts are making bread, the light,
thin "tortillas Of the Mexicans,
baked quickly in a pan, and not bad
eating. Two Others are fraternally
occupied in preparing their bed for the
night. Grass is pulled out by hand
fuls, laid upon the ground and covered
with one blanket, another serving as
cover. These Indians with scarcely
an exception, sleep with their feet
pointel toward little fires, which they
claim are warm, while the big ones built
by the American soldiers are so hot
that they drive people away from them
and beside attract the attention of
any lurking enemy. At the foot of
this bed an Apache is playing upon a
homemade "fiddle," fabricated from
the stalk of the American aloe. 1t h9s
four strings and produces a sound like
the wall of cat with he- tail caught
In fence. Enchanted and stimulated
by the concord of sweet sounds, a party
Of six is playing fiercely at the Mexi-
r a.