The Southern herald., 1886-03-13

busy with specimens and in making re-
pairs to my clothing, and the dayand
night passed without an alarm of any
sort. This put me in good spirits. and
/ permitted the fires to die down to
great beds of Goals, which would retain
their heat all day, and soon after break
fast shOuldered my rife and started of
down the valley to prospect and inves-
tigate. You may believe that 1 kept
my eyes open for sight of grizzlies, but
they seemed to have left the neighbor-
hood for good.
At the end of about five miles the
valley suddenly broadened or de-
bouched into another. This larger val
ley opened in from the broad plains,
and was a mile long. / had no sooner
rounded a mass of rock and earth and
brought the larger valley into view
than my ears were greeted with terri
BILE yell. Right before me, and not
over a quarter of mile away, were
seven or eight Indians surrounding a
small camp fire, with their ponies graz
ing near by.
At such 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 successful
defence, with the odds SO much against
me. As the Indians sprang to their
feet turned to the right and dashed
into ravine opening into the mount
ain itself. There was stream running
down it from the melting snow, but
presently found fairly beaten path
running along the ravine and winding
through the trees and around rocks.
Knowing that my life was at stake, l
put forth every effort to reach de-
fensive spot.
When had gone up the ravine three
hundred feet found further progress
impossible. Right before me was an
opening into which man 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
1 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 one opened fire with his
revolver, and the whole pack yelled
like iends. The reader who has seen the
entrance to coal mine, slanting into
the darkness from the start, can form
an 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 was as
far as l 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 l turned at bay, the foremost
Indian was entering the drift. While
he was looking into the darkness 1 was
looking toward the light, and the first
shot from my revolver pierced his brain
and killed him as dead as stone. As
he fell l fired again, and wounded the
warrior behind him. / knew this from
the way the fellow yelled out. 1t was
wonderful how quick their enthusiasm
cooled down. They had holed me up,
but at the same time discovered thatIwas
not defenseless. Their safety obliged
them to get out 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 a move was made for quarter
of an hour. had made a temporary
escape. but by no means congratulated
myself that they would abandon theil
efforts. How far back the drift ex.
tended l had no means of knowing
and instead of seeking to ascertain.
crept to within ten feet of the mouth
l had Winchester and two revolvers
and could have killed Indians all day
long had they sought to enter the drift
But one warning was enough. They
knew of safer way to get at me.
By and by heard the cracking o.
flames and smelled smoke, and directly
after that heap of burning brush wa
pushed to the entrance of the drift
with long pole. They were going to
smoke me out! I confess to making
up my mind that my hours were mum
bered, but l had given way to despair
too soon. The draughtof the drift was
outward into the chamber, as might
| na'o oe0h eAPeoVcu' 1hu hOO Win VI
smoke could be driven in at me. The
game was soon abandoned for another
A rock large enough to furnish cOvel
for an Indian was rolled to the moutf
of the drift, and redskin got behind il
and began firing into my cover. By re-
treating few feet and lying fiat dowr
/ was safe from his bullets. He freG