The Dawson journal., 1884-01-10
ROMANCE OF LOS ANGELES

"Of all Don Antonio's graphic nsrra-
dyes Of the olden times, none is more in
teresting than those which describe his
adventures during the days of this con-
test On one of the first approaches
made by the Americans to Los Angeles,
be went out with his little haphazard
company of men and boys to meet
them. He had but one cannon, a small
one, tied by ropes on a cart axle. He
had but one small keg of powder which
was good for anything all the rest was
bad would merely go off 'pouf, pouf,'
The sonora said, and the ball would pop
doFa near the mouth of the cannon.
With this bad powder he fired his first
shots, The Americans laughed this is
chlds play, they said, and pushed on
closer. Then came good shot, with the
good powder, tearing into their ranks
and knocking them right and left an
other, and another. Then the Ameri-
cans 'egan to think, these are no pouf
balls; and when a few more were killed,
they ran away and left their flag behind
Them And if they had only known it,
the Calitornians had only one more
charge left of the good powder, and the
next minute it would have been the Cali.
ionlans that would have had to run
away themselves, merrily laughed the
sonora as she told the tale.
This captured flag, with important
papers, were intrusted 10 Don Antonio
10 carry to the Mexican head
quarters at Sonora. He set off with an
escort OF soldiers, his horse decked with
SiVer trappings, his sword, pistols-all
u 'ne hneSt; a proud beginning of a
journey destined to end in a different
l'onion' 1t was in winter time; cold
ia, rams were falling; by night he was
to the skin, and stopped at
li'vnuly in Indians tent to change his
''o'neS' Hardly had he got them off
%"'ll 'ne sound of horses hoofs was
a1 l'YaI'' The Indian flung himself down,
p'' / his ear to the ground and exclaimed.
a. q nucrlcanos Americanos + Almost in
,"e same second they were at the tents
"DOI' as they halted, Don Antonio.
. ..a0 o!ly IN his drawers and stockings,
ot'"led out at the back of the tent. and
N.Y., 'PAiS on all fours reached tree, up
"'0n LIE climbed, and sat safe hidden
ta,'. 'D0 uarkness among its branches lis
tia. S' while his pursuers cross ques,
.:n sn',' 'ne Indian, and at last rode away
into ,a m ni9 morse. Luckily, he had carried
con,, ,S ,ne tent the precious papers and the
Tn5; S;u'eu flag; these he intrusted to an
don%l 'u 10 take to Sonora, it being evil
tba 'y OF no use for him to try to cross
enon,; S?un'fy thus closely pursued by his
d.u al night he lay hidden; the next
me-. D0 walked twelve miles across the
bonog I'|lnS to an Indian village where he
be ~" ~ 20 get horse. 1t was dark when
tbo 'sacned it. Cautiously he opened
ln Uoof OF the hut of one whom he
oo;.o, o "eli' The Indian was preparing
sh, eo arrows; fixing one on the
on, ana aiming at the door, he called
' %rn8rly, Who is there p
1t Is I, Antonio
bo DON'T make a sound whispered
~; indlan, throwing down his arrow,
,n.i islng to the door, coming out and
alI ilS Il! 1t softly. He then proceeded to
-, r. nln that the Americans had offered
~ V"Ard war Tor his head, and that some of
= ~ - 4loians in the rancheria were ready
yet lay .%. or Kill him. While they were
h. ,alklng, again came the sound Of
n b bmeficans horses hoofs galloping
Cow. 'ue distance. This time there
,io Su r no escape. Suddenly Don Anto.
pr;,.., , .u,fOwing himself on his stomach
)nirs 1e.'a INTO cactus patch near by,
Que who has seen California cactus