The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-06-02

necessarily happen when they would
put on the war paint. had some hope
that Spotted Dog had escaped, and that
troops would soon come to my assist
ancc, and yet l feared to have them
come. for | hal assisted too often in The
capture of Indian villages not to know
that if the troops were successful they
would in all probability find me dead
ard scalpcd.
son the fifth day my worst fears
seemed about to be realized. The
squaws were busy tearing down the
tepees and packing up their belongings.
Long lines of them leading their laden
ponies were soon filing out of camp and
going off. knew that this meant war,
and that the women and children were
getting out of the way. Black Kettle
had not been near me all day, and l
was almost wild with suspense when,
late in the afternoon, he appeared,
decked out in all his savage inery. He
told me that after long deliberation, he
and his chiefs had decided to be allies
to the Comanches, and that he had
pleaded for my life in vain, but that
there was some hope yet. He ordered
me to follow him, which 1 did.
"Outside Of his lodge stood my horse,
saddled and brided, and with all of my
belongings just as had LEFT them He
led me and l led the horse down to the
edge of the water, where were collected
all of the warriors of both sides and
their ponies. l was then informed that
/ would be allowed to cross the river
and gain the uuderbrush on the other
side, after which Black Kettles pro-
lection would have to cease, and the
whole two tribes would engage in a
pleasant little fox hunt, with me as fox.
The word was given, my revolver was
handed to me, and plunged in.
"The river was not wide, but very
deep, and quite swift. l slipped of my
horse, and, taking hold of his tail, al
lowed him to tow me slowly across.
During the few moments of crossing, my
brain was very active, and when the
horse scrambled up the bank my plan
was formed.
at was by this time almost dark, and
when the horse reached the top of the
bank stopped him, and frightened
the saddle girth in full view of the In
dians, who, true to their word, waited
for me to disappear in the underbru'h be-
fore taking to the water. The moment
struck the brush yell from hundreds
OF Indian throats reached me, and the
bullets cut the brush all around me.
81 lcaped from my horse and with
my pistol barrel gave him whack over
the back that l knew would send him
on gallop clear to the fort. knew, too,
that the Indians would follow his trail,
SO | slipped as quietly as possible up a
side coulee and hid until the Indians
passed me, when made tracks for an
other fort about twenty-five miles DIS
tant.
my ruse proved successful, for the
Indians, thinking, of course, that l
would try to get home, followed my
horses trail, and left me unpursued. l
travelled all that night, and reached my
destination just as the bugles were
sounding reveille. On the day follow
ing l went back under escort to my
proper post
"Much to my surprise, upon my ar
rival there, nothing had been heard Of
Spotted Dog. and it was not until
months afterward that l found that the
faithful fellow had been shot by the In
dams while trying to obey my instruc-
tions to escape.
This was not the only time that Bl aclS
Kettle befriended me, and when Gen.
Custer and his command returned from
their winter campaign that ended with
the battle of tho Wichita, it was with
genuine sorrow that learned of the old
chiefs death. ~ New York Sun.