Connecticut western news., 1886-01-27


 Right before me was an opening into the cliff into which man on horseback could have entered, while the width was all of twenty feet. l dashed into the place to find myself in large chamber. The light was very dim, but l saw two drifts lead ing off from this further into the noun tain. was after a secure hiding place, and dashed into the right-hand drift without moments hesitation.
 The Indians were SO close on my heels as entered the dark drift that the fore most one opened fire with his revolver, and the whole pack yelled like fends. The reader who has seen the entrance to coal mine, slanting into the darkness from the start, can form an idea of the drift I had plunged into. The grade was very steep, and the bottom so rough that fell down twice in going twenty five feet. That was as far as went. The drift was not over three feet wide, and only one Indian could come in at time.
 They did not exactly understand the situation, and were eager to overhaul me- As turned at bag, the foremost Indian was entering the drift. While he was looking into the darkness was looking toward the lght, and the first shot from my revolver pierced his brain and killed him as dead as stone. As he fell I fired again, and wounded the warrior behind him. I knew this from the way the fellow yelled out. It was wonderful how quick their enthusiasm cooled down. They had holed me up, but at the same time discovered that was not defence less. Their safety obliged them to get cat of range, and in doing this they could not shoot into the drift and hit me with chance bullet.
 All now became as silent as death, and not move was made for quarter of an hour. I had made temporary escape, but by no means congratulated myself that they would abandon their efforts. How far back the drift extend- ed I had no means of knowing, and in stead of seeking to ascertain, 1 crept to within ten feet of the mouth. I had 0 Winchester and two rcvolvers, and could have killed Indians all day long, had they sought to enter the drift. But one warning was enough. They knew of a safer way to get at me.
 By and by l heard the cracking of flames and smelled smoke, and dIree tly after that heap of burning brush WI : pushed to the entrance ot the irift with long pole. They were going 70 smoke me out 1 confess to making up my mind that my hours were numbered, but l had given way to despair too soon. The draught of the drift was outward into the chamber, as might have been expected, and not whiff of smoke could be driven in at me. The game was soon abandoned for another. A rock large enough to fur nish cover for an Indian was rolled to the mouth of the drift, and a redskin got be- hind it and began firing into my cover. By retreating few feet and lying flat down I was safe from his bullets. He fired sixty-eight times before he hauled off. They couldn't say that had been killed, and the proper way to prove that , 1 hadn't been was to send a warrior in with lighted torch to ask me. He had scarcely entered the drift when banged '! into him, and dropped him. He fell SC near the mouth that his companion: sought to draw him out, and wounded 1 ono of them in the arm.
 had killed two and wounded two, anc knew that not over four sound ones re ' mained was wondering if it wouldn't : be the best plan to dash out at them witt my revolvers, when a series of yells l shouts, screams, and growls filed thu chamber beyond me. Then followed fiv' or six shots, more growls and yells, ant as kept my eye on the opening I caugh 3 glimpse of grizzly bear and warrio struggling. In five minutes from tn
 first sound there was no other noise tha, that of low growing and the click o
 claws on the rocky floor.
 What had happened2 had run int
 the den of the bears seen in the morning and the Indians had followed. The bear
 had come home from their morning walk
 and the result must have been disastrou
 to the Indians. Although realizing tn
 ferocious nature of the animal, 1 was nc
 as fearful of him as 1 had been of tn" In
 d;ans. A full-grown grizzly could hard
 ly squeeze his way down the drift, and
 was certain to kill him if he tried to.
 After bit crept carefully forwar
 until I could see into the chamber. was a sight to make one sick. Two beal
 lay dead on the floor, and a third ws licking the blood which flowed from se1 ' 1 eral wounds. But others had suffere more I had two dead Indians in tt
 drift and five others lay in the chamber bitten, clawed, and torn until the pect, cle was hidcous one to gaze upon. The l was blood everywhere and upon ever, , thing, and pieces of bloody flesh we [ mingled and mixed with patches of Ii r dian dress and firearms.
 While I stood looking at the horro the wounded bear rose up with tier' erowl and attacked the corpses. H 7 hurts drove him mad, and he wante : revenge on the dead. I saw him put i paw on the breast of an Indian, sci l the throat in his teeth, and at one sing V wrench he tore the head from the bod l He seized another by the leg, just abo' t the knee, and I heard the bones cru h like glass as his teeth shut. He jerkt e and twisted two or three times, and u