The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-04
A SINGULAR ESCAPE.

"Yes, a fool for luck, US the saying
goes remarked Ned Ayers, as he chat
ted in the sitting room of well known
San Francisco hotel in 1869.
Ned Ayres was-andisyet, believe
an Indian.fghter OF some note, the
scenes Of most Of his exploits being in
Arizona, where he had materially aided
the military in the capacity OF guide.
Ned had commenced to tell me OF a
certain cavalry excursion in search OF q
band of marauding Apaches, i'll which
be acted as n guide, and, after once more
saying "a fool for luck, " he proceeded
US follows:
had agreed to guide Capt. Walker
and his company OF cavalry to noun
famous country about fifty orsiXty miles
from Tucson. where it was thought Il
band OF redskins had retreated to after
committing some depred0tions on this
side of the Colorado river.
As should have TO leave the troops
often to recouuoitre |. took with me,
merely for company's sake, a worthless
and not much more than half.wttcd fell
low named Jim Vim, who, however,
knew good deal about hunting lndi-
ans and about getting out OF their way
when they happened to be hunting him.
He was a regular buiIoon and us active
and wiry as circus clown, many OF
antics he had learned to initiate.
discovered signs OF Indians one even
inc; and we halted for the night in a
hiily and wooded country, throwing out
a strong picket. Early next morning
jim and ! started forward to reconnoi-
tire, the cavalry to remain quiet till our
return. .
Jim finished his lunch n little sooner
than did mine, and being restless and
impatient fellow, he left his rifle and ac-
coutrements lying upon the ground, and
started of.
In another half minute had finished
my lunch, when noticed jim standing
on the edge OF the thicket, beckohing. to
me in the most earnest manner, amt /
snatched up my rifle and moved cautious
ly forward TO join him.
had gone but u few steps when he
suddenly disappeared, as though sink
ing into the earth.
could not imagine what the nature
Of the danger was, but was determined
to find out, and moved cautiously for
ward till ! reached the eGge OF the
thicket; then what sight my eyes met
stHhe thicket was notat hickGt at all, but
merely dense row OF bushes, some
thing like hedge, and it grew along the
edge OF a bank which descended at an
angle OF forty-fye degrees into n little
valley thirty or forty feet below.
In the middle OF the valley, which
was without vegetation, except growth
of stunted grass, was n camp oil about
forty Apachcs, hideous with war paint,
who had Just been startled by Jim's
sudden intrusion and seized their arms.
And Jim Vinn-what OF him? Wei,
he had discovered this nest OF Indians
Just as he had parted the bushes to step
into what he thought was thicket, and,
on turning to beCkon to me, he had set
one OF his feet little too lar back, caus-
ing a portion of the bank to crumble
away beneath his weight, and so pre-
cipitating him heels over head down the
deciivitv. lie had barely picked him
self up when got to where could look
on, and there he stood unarmed, con.
fronting forty redskins, at distance oil
only dozen yards.
Instead OF running away or getting
confused, although several OF inc
Apaches' rifles were already lcyeIled
upon him, he seemed as cool as u Gu.
climber and began to execute ascrles oil
ridiculous gyrations.
He first looked up ut the sky and
pointed soiemly towards the zenith )
then he uttered loud laugh, something
like that OF maniac; then he, turned u
somersault; then he sent forth another
wild laugh that made the. valley ring,
and Immediately danced a jiS'
At first | was myself at II loss TO ac-
count for Jim's singular conduct, but |
now began TO see What his object was.
Finding himself in a position where
either flight or resistance would have
been hopeless, he had, with wonderful
presence of mind, hit upon the ruse OF
making the Indians believe that he was
M idiot, or some unnatural Dcing; lof
he well knew, what you probably Know
too, that tho Indians have asuperstl'
tious reverence for an idiot, believing
him to be under the immediate care OF
the Great Spirit. IT,, rs,
From my covert l watched Jim's
movements with a deep anxiety; and
serious as the case was, | came neat
laughing outright when he paused with,
| in ten feet OF the nearest savage, uttered
n lot of gibberish such as had never
heard, pointed to the sky, then, taking
his right foot in his right hand, hoped
forward like boy playing hop-scotch
Into the very midst OF the staring
ApaChes. Then he stopped and stooc
up in the immediate presence oil thelI
chief, whom l recognized Us a bioou
thirsty wretc. named Atchin, and staret
in his face.
Having apparently examined tho
chiefs stately CountenanCe to his heart
content, he placed himself on all fourI
and, with a succession OF leaps, threw
himself clear beyond the group oil In
dams, SO that l lost sight OF him To-
some seconds.
| soon saw him again, however. l
was half-dozen PAGES beyond the IN
tlllllS, WllClC llC buhhSAllI bf'''s'b 80
feet and occupied minute dancing
Lis. They still looked on in amazemcnt
| ii not awe, and muttered to myself:
"ThOt fellow is going to escape"
| | was right. Jim's final movement
was to throw his heels into the air an,
walk off on his hands, after the manne
OF circus clown, and began ascending
the opposite bank OF the valley in thi
attitude, and, reaching the top unmo
Tested by the savages, he shot into tn
bushes and disappeared from their aston
ished eyes.
Then there was low murmur anon
the Indians. Some pointed earnest
" towards the spot whore jim har
plunged into the bushes; others pointe,
towards the sky, while some locke
around in every direction, as If search
ing for signs OF an approaching enemy.
\ understood this. They regarded tn
1 visit OF the strange being as warnin
70 them and they were evidently yer