The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-02-13

brought the larger valley into view
Gaa my ears were greeted wsh a terri
BILE yell. Right before me, and not
over a quarter Of Il mile away, were
seven or eight Indians surrounding n
~ all camp fire, with their ponies graz
Ing near by.
At such n time as that men think and
act quickly. If | ran back up the val
ley such action would uncover my
camp and lose my animals. There was
no place at hand to make a successful
defence, with the odds so much against
me. As the Indians sprang to their
feet l turned to the right and dashed
into a ravine opening into the mount
ain itself. There was 4 stream running
down it from the melting snow, but
presently l found a fairly beaten path
running along the ravine and winding
through the trees and around rocks.
Knowing that my life was at stake, |
put forth every effort to reach a de-
fensive spot.
When | had gone up the ravine three
hundred feet found further progress
impossible. Right before me was an
opening into which g MAI horseback
could have entered, while the width
was all OF twenty feet. l dashed into
the place to find myself in Il large
chamber. The light was very dim, but
saw two drifts leading off from this
into the mountain. Twas after q secure
hiding place, and dashed into the right,
hand drift without a moments hesita-
ton.
The Indians were so close on my
heels as | entered the dark drift that
the foremost n opened tire with his
revolver, and the whole pack yelled
like ticnds. The readcrwho has sen the
entrance to a coal mine, slanting into
the darkness from Tie start, can form
al idea OF the drift | had plunged into.
The grade was very steep. and the bot
tom so rough that | fell down twice in
going twenty-five feet. That wa as
far as | went. The drift; was not over
three feet wide. aud only one Indian
could come in at a time.
They did not exactly understand the
situation and We're eager to overhaul
me. As l turned at bay, the foremost
Indian was entering the drift. While
he was looking into the darkness | was
looking toward the light, and the first
Shot from my revolver pierced his brain
and killed him as dead rs a stone. As
he fell l fired again, and wounded the
warrior behind him. l knew this from
the way the fellow yelled out. 1t was
wonderful how quick their enthusiasm
cooled down. They had holed mt up,
! but at the same time discovered that Twas
not defenseless. Their safety obliged
them to Get cut of rauge, and in doing
this they could not shoot into the drift
and hit me with a chance bullet.
All now became as silent as death,
and not Il NOV was made for q quarter
Of an hour. had made q trmnorary
escape. but by no means CONGRATULATED
| myself that they would abandon their
| efforts. How far back the drift py-
tended | had no means Of knowing.
and instead of seeking to ascertain. |
crepr to within ten feet of the mouth.
! | had a Winchester and two rpvolynrs,
and could have killed Indians all day
long had they sought to enter the drift.
But one warning was enough. They
knc-S Of 4 safer wav to ret at me.
By and bv heard the crack1jno Of
flame; and sma)lpd smoke and Iirnct,v
after that i heap of burnina brush was
nrshpd tn the entrance. of tb. drift
with ? lone mole. They were roino 70
snake mo on+r 7 confoss to motinr
up nv mind that my hours were num-
bered. but | had given way to despair
too O The drauyht0f the drift was
outward into the chamber, as might
have been expected, and not a Whit of
smokc could be driven in at me. The
game was soon abandoned for another.
A rock LARGE enough to furnish cover
for an Indian was rolled to the month
of the drift. and q redskin GOT behind it
and began firing into my cover. By re-
treating a few feet and living fiat down
| was safe from his bullets. He fred
sixty-eight times before he hauled off.
They couldn't say that | had been
killed, and the proper way to prove
that | hadn't been was to send q war