The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-11-06
CUP OF WATER.
Youth C~ompanion.

Youths Companion.
The Apaches are the most subtle
indians on the American Continent.
Time and again they have outwitted
the veteran compaigners sent against
them; and the skilful scouts, who have
won their spurs elsewhere, have been
completely endorsed by those peerless
knights of the plains.
Some years ago, when a lieutenant
of cavalry, l commanded the escort OF
a little train on its way through the
eastern portion OF Arizona from New
Mexico, We were in the Apache coun-
try. and consequently were without
any excused for being taken OF our guard.
When / add that we rode over a
perfectly dry and level prairie,
with only the blue line of
the Zuni Mountains visible
against the distant horizon, it will be
supposed that the last danger we had
to fear was from the red men. All
u company were Indoldian fighters;
but while We were passing across the
parched plain, with the cattle train
a half mile to the rear, and with our
selves on the alert, we are utterly out
witted, and our friends d~isastrously
ambuscaded.
We rode within a hundred yards of
a large force of dismounted Indians
without once suspecting the astonish-
ing fact. Some time later, when we
were startled by sudden firing behind
us, welookedback and saw our friends
engaged in e fierce fight with a party
of Apaches. Where the swarthy as
sailants came from passed conjecture.
The country, for miles in every direc-
ton, as / have said, was a blistered
plain. A jack rabbit would have been
detected, as he whisked like a ray of
light across the yellow surface, and
yet more than a score o~fwarriors had
hidden themselves from our sight when
scarcely a stones throw away.
We dashed back TO the help of the
Endangered horsemen, but before we
could reach them several were badly
sounded, and the cattle were skurry-
Eng southwark In d cloud ofdust. We
kept up a running fight for several
miles, but the raiders, G. number OF
whom had secured horses, got away
without losing a stolen animal, or
leaving a wounded warrior behind.
The Apaches, as we afterwardlearn-
ed knowing the route we were to take,
stretched themselves on the ground
along the trail. Their scant clothing,
end their bodies were the color Of the
earth upon which they Law fat and
mOti0nIess. The dry, stunted q
4 gathered about their heads and
shoulder with such dizziness that, as
Ihave shown, we rode by the party
without the slightest suspicion ofdan-
ger.
In the autumn of 1882, Captain
Arthur Burnham and fourteen
c~avalrymen, accompanied by the
young son OF the officer, were
ridingat q leisurely pace along thefoot-
hills to ths west Of the San Francisco
mountains, which for many miles ex-
tend between New Mexico and Arizona.
The ella range lay far to the west, and
the destination Of the little company
was Fort Apache, half a hundred miles
TO the northwest.
The squad was fired upon from the
rocks, and one of the soldiers was
wounded. Suspecting, from the sound
Of the guns, that their assailants were
weak in numbers, Captain Burnbam
and bis men wheeled their animals.
charged as far as they could be forced.
and then, leaping to the ground, dash
cd among the boulders.
The warriorsnumbered only six who,
finding they could not hold their
ground, turned and fed. Several we're
struck, but al escaped, excepting d
who was made captive.
The taking of Indian prisoners is moi
a popular occupation on the border
and II may be doubted whether Cap
tain BUrnham would have followed
the course which he did, but for pecu
Jar reasons. The Apache upon WHOM
he fxed his attention was an Indian