Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-02-18
have left the neighborhood for

At the end Of abont five miles the
valley suddenly broadeaed or de-
bouched into another. Thislargerval.
ley opened in from the broad plains,
and was mile long. ! had no sooner
rounded mass Of rock apd earth and
brought the larger valley into view
than my ears were greeted with ter
rible yell. Right before me, and not
over a quarter Of mile away, were
seven or eight Indians surrounding a
small camp Are, with their ponies
grazing near by.
AT such time as that men think
and act quickly. If hanback, up the
valley such action would uncover my
camp and lose my animals. There
was no place at hand to make sue
cessful defence with the o9ds SO much
against me. AS the Indians sprsng
to their feet I turned TO the right and
dashed into ravine opening into the
mountain itself. There Was q stream
running down it from the melting
snow, but presently ! found fairly
beaten path running along the rayile
and winding through the trees and
around rocks, Knowing that my life
was at stake, ] put forth every effort
to reach defensive spot.
When had gone up the ravine
three hundred feet | found further
progress impossible. Right before me
was an opening into which man on
horseback could have entered, while
the width was all Of twenty feet. /
dashed into the place to find myself in
a large chamber. The light was very
dim, but I saw two drifts leading off
from this into the mountains. ! wau
after secure hiding place, and dashed
into the right hand drift without a
moments hesitation,
The Indians were SO close on my
heels as / entered the dark drift that
the foremost one opened fire with his
revolver, and thewhole pack yelled
| like fends. The reader who has seen
the entrance TO coal nine slantine
into the darkness at the start, can
form an idea Of the drift | had plung-
cd into. The grade was very steep
and the bottom so rough that fell
| down twice in going twenty five feet
I IT., :. ON, rs fsE as went. The drift
was not over three fe9t $3.50 ~ -
one Indian could come ia at time. :
| They did not exactly understand
the situation aud were eager to over
haul me. AS | turned at bay, the
foremost Indian was en- Airing the drift.
While he was looking into the dark
ness | was looking toward the light,
and the first shot from my revolver
pierced his brain and killed him as
dead as a stone. IAs he fell | fred
again, and wounded the warrior be-
hind him. / knew this from the way
the fellow yelled out. 1t was won
derful how quick their enthusiasm
cooled down. They had holed me up,
but at the same time discovered that
was not defenceless. 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 move was made for a quar-.
ter Of an hour. ] had made tempo
rary escape, but by no means con.
graduated myself that they would
abandon their efforts. How far back
the drift extended had no means Of
knowing, and instead Of seeking to as.
certain, I crept within a few feet Of
the mouth. ! 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 I heard the cracking Of
flames and snelle1 nrpoke, and direct.
ly after that hi Of burning brush
was pushed to thel ance Of the drift
with long pole .ey were going to
smoke me out 1bonfess to making
up my mind that my hours were mum.
bered, but ! had given way TO despair
too soon. The draught Of the drift
was outward into the chamber, as
might have been expected, and not
Whit Of smoke 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 mouth Of the drift, and red
skin got behind II and began firing
into my cover. BY retrsatlng q few
feet and lying fat down | Was safe
from bis bullets. He fred sixty-eight
times before he hauled of. They
couldn't say that had been killed.
and the proper way to prove that ]
hadn't been was to send o warrior in
with lighted torch to ask me. He
had scarcely entered the drift when
/ banged into him, and dropped him.
he fell 50 near the mouth that his
companions sought to draw him out,
and I wounded one Of them In the
arm.
had killed two and wounded two,
and knew that not over four sound
ones remained. I was wondering fit
wouldn't be the best plan 70 dash out
az them with my reviewers, when 9
lies Of yelis, shouts, screams and
d ls Allied the chamber beyond me.
Then followed Ave or six shots, more
growls and yeIls, and as ! kept my eye
On the opening ] caught glimpse Of
grizzly bear and warrior struggling.
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