The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-10-01
A MANS FIGHT FOR LIFE.
DESPERATE ENCOUNTER WITH IN.
DIANs IN ARIZONA.
a NInTI-CnrrIer Ambushed with Two
Companions iu a CRnOn-WOuud-
cd. hnIt Einhllnn unliI Ileacmeh.

~ MntI-AnrrhGr AmOMhneU WIN hM1
Companions iu a CRnOn-WOuud-
cd, but Fighting Until Rescued.
An Arizona correspondent of the Bos-
ton Advertiser, writing about the Huala-
pals Indians, tells this story of an ad-
venture of a Mr.. Spencer who has lived
with them many years:
"I was carrying the mail between the
forts at that time, he said, "and was
ambushed by the Indians in canon
about twenty-five miles south of here.
One of my two companions was killed
and the other wounded, and l only es-
capped because the shot hit my pistol and
glanced aside. The wounded. fellow
tried to escape, and while the Indians
were drawn off in pursuit of him slipped
off my horse into the bush. My rifle
clogged in throwing up a shell, and |
had to take the magazine out and reload
it, while expecting them on me at any
moment. After l had my rifle ready
looked about and saw that my only
chance was to reach the edge of a small
canon, where l should have a rock in
front, and would not be attacked from
behind l started to run up
little arroyo, but they saw
me and fired on me, one shot passing
through my leg at the hip and one in my
breast. AS fell they gave shout and
pushed on me, but l managed to raise
myself and shoot down the first two, and
they fell back. Then l managed to draw
myself to the position l had chosen.
They had meanwhile caught the wounded
fellow, and for two hours they tortured
him. Finally they cut off his hands and
head. While had to lie listening to
their tiendish yells, had found my pis-
tol was clogged with the lead of the
bullet from which it saved me. took it
all to pieces and reloaded and put it
together again. determined to sell my
life as dearly as l could, but if there was
no hope, to blow my own brains out with
my last two charges rather than fall into
their hands When they had finished
my companion heard them consulting
and arranging to attack me from three
sides. My leg was entirely dead by this
time, and was very weak from loss of
blood, but l managed 10 kill the leaders
of each band, and they fell back. |
heard them decide that it was not worth
while wasting a number of Indians on
one white man, and they were sure of me
as soon as night fell All was quiet for
. time, and then | heard one Indian,
who knew little English, call, No
hurt Spencer. Go home knew thi
was only q trap to get me out, and,
as he kept on repeating this, thought /
would try to see him without exposing
myself. | had heard of people aiming
by sound, though had never tried it.
| listened intently and kept bringing my
rife up and aiming toward the sound.
fred, and there was great commotion.
| learned afterward-for l am friends
with all these Indians now-that the bull
let just grazed his arm, and the start 1t
gave him threw him from point of rock
be was standing upon, and bruised him
badly. After this all was so quiet began
20 suspect something, and raising my
head very slowly and cautiously above
:he rock behind me, it received two
shots, showing they had managed to
creep up there. | raised myself quickly,
threw my arm over the rock, and fired
wo or three shots from my pistol in
quick succession. That cleaned out that
lest. Over at the fort they had heard
he firing in the morning, but paid no at
;ention to it But when it continued,
hey concluded the Indians had got hold
If me and sent out a squad to the rescue
They came on the hands of my compan
on, lying in the road where they had
Deen dropped. and were frightened and
vent back. Meanwhile | had deter
mined not to wait for the Indians
: out, as soon as it was dusk
) 20 drag myself off and see if l could ge
: away. However, the soldiers came back
, and just at dusk found me. But it wa'
= close shave. At the last moment
could not make them hear me, aud they
8 were about to turn back, thinking l wa!
: gone up; but l attracted their attention
a before it was too late. That was as Ions
4 day as | ever spent, gentlemen"
81 surprised" " said |. 81 thought tn,
Hualapais claimed they had been alway
friends of the whites" 80 they were
q but about a month before this some mel
were out on a raid and caught fourteen
q young children. They saw no other In
? 1ians, and they had these children in al
: ambulance They did not wish to b
! idiculed for bringing home children, s.
( they consulted what to do and decided
g the only thing was to kill them. The
: pulled them out by the hair, one at
time, and blowing their brains out threy
e them on the road. The Indians strong
: est instinct is love of his children, and
8 coming on the trail and finding these
!, they vowed to torture the first one o
> those fellows they caught" "Ah, see
a it was like all other horrible Indian out
}. rages-the white mans first and the In
Y dian follows" That's about the lengt
8 OF it.n
: Our Mexican NeighbOrs.