Sun River sun., 1884-09-11
A FIGHT FOR LIFE,
The Thrilling Story Of Mr. Spencer,
Who For Many Years Lived With
the Hualapais indians.

An Arizona correspondent Of tho
Boston Advertiser, writing about the
Hualapais Indians tells this story Of
MIR. Spencer who has lived with
them many years:
Il was carrying the mail between
the forts at that time,' he sad, "and
was nmbushed by the Indians in a
canon about twenty-five miles south
OF here. One Of my two companions
was killed and the other wounded and
only escaped 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 I slipped off my horse
into the bush. My rifle clogged in
throwing up shell, and had to take
the magazine out and reload it, while
expecting them on mo at any time.
After had my rifle ready l looked
about and saw that my only chance
was to reach the edge of II small canon
where l should have rock in front,
and would not be attacked from be-
hind. I started to run up little ar
royo, but they saw me and fired on
me, ono shot passing through my left
leg at the hip and one in my breast.
AS l fell they gave shout and push
cd on me, but I managed to raise my
self and shoot down the first two, and
the fell back. Then I managed to
draw myself to the position 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 1 had to lie and listen to this
and their tiendish yells, I found my
pistol 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 I could,
but il there was no hope, to blow my
own brains out with my last two char
ges rather than fall into their hands
When they had finished my compan-
ion l heard them consulting and ar-
ranging to attack me from three
sides. My leg was entirely dead and
l was becoming very weak from the
loss Of blood, but I managed to kill
the leaders Of each band and they fell
back. heard them decide that it
was not worth while wasting q num-
Der OF Indians ON one white man, and
they were sure Of me as soon us night
fell. All was quiet for Il time, and
then heard one Indian, who knew a
little English, call, No hurt Spencer.
Go home l knew this was only a
trap to get mo out, and, as he kept on
repeating this, ] thought I would try
to SEQ him without exposing myself.
J. had heard Of people aiming by
sound, though l had never tried it. l
listened intcntly and kept bringing
my rifle up and aiming toward the
sound. fired and there was n great
commotion. ! learned afterward-
for Iam friends with nil these Indi-
ans now-that the bullet just grazcd
his arm, and the start it gave him
threw him from point Of rock he
was standing upon, and bruised him
badly. After this all was so quiet l
began to suspect something, and rais-
ing my head very slowly and cau-
tiously above the 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 two or three shots
from my pistol in rapid succession.
That cleaned out that nest. Over at
the fort they heard the firing in the
morning, but paid no attention to it.
But when it continued, they conclud-
ed the Indians had got hold of me
and sent out squd to the rescue.
They came on the hands of my com
panion, lying in tho road where they
had been dropped, and were frighten-
cd and went back. Meanwhile / had
determined not to wait for the Indi-
ans, but, as soon as it was dusk, to
drag myself off and soc il could get
away. However, tho soldiers came
back, snd just at dusk found me. But
it was close shave. AT the last mo-
ment could not make them hear me
and they were about to turn back,
thinking was gone up; but / attract
ed their attention before it was too
late. That was a long day as / over
spent, gentleman"
II am surprised" said I. 81
thought the Hualapais claimed they
had been always friends to the
whites" $50 they were, but about q
month before this some men were
out on raid and caught fourteen