The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-10-22

i'ay was JUST ,JTvaRIny ~l,-si vtiIIr
TO the fork Of the trail at Fort Robin
son, two miles out from Crawford
sloinG- Loth routes led 10 tie Grad
ing calnp-one trail lar through
" hItc IlVcr CANYON and The other led
to my destination by way of Drift
wood one Of these routes | must
take, and as the men who were "shad-
OWING me believed that | would pro
coed hy p-ay of Driftwood chose the
W hlte Nver canyon route, rough,
new trail that for seventeen miles led
through tumblcd, rocky gorge or
canyon III the bottom of which rip
Piled merrily the little streamlet that
is the beginning Of the White river.
urged my pony forward at a good
pace until, after sunrise, | passed a
camp OF freighters who were prepar-
ing their breakfast, and later met sew
eral wagons on the move. which re-
lleved the loneliness of my ride and
caused me to feel more secure. AS the
morning was hot and oppressive
now proceeded more slowly
About half an hour after meeting
the frelghters | halted at one of the
numerous creek crossings, and dis
mounted to drink and eat a part of the
lunch of crackers and dried beef
which | had brought from the com
mlssary tent. AS | had no cup
stretched myself out upon the rocks
at the edge of the current, and buried
my nose in the cool water of the
spring fed stream.
AS | lay drinking, with my head
just above the water, a distant sound
of horses hoofs struck my ear.
ceased to drink, listened intently, and
soon heard distinctly the noise of
horsemen coming rapidly up the can
yOn.
sprang to my feet in alarm. NY
hrst impulse was to mount my pony
and apply the spurs, but as his gait, a
racking gallop, was very slow one,
| came to the sudden conclusion to
dodge into the brush and let the horse.
men, whoever they were, go by.
There were few box alder trees and
several clusters of plum bush close I'M
der the rocks on the right grasped
the bronco's rein, and led him in be-
hind the thickets of thorn and tied him.
l had little time to think or act be-
fore the horsemen came up at a gal
lop. l peered through the leaves as
they ratified on, and discovered that
there were six riders and that the two
strikers were in the lead. They passed
my hiding place without an apparent
suspicion that | was concealed there,
and, though still much alarmed, was
congratulating myself that had out
wltted them, when, just as they rode
into the water my pony lifted his
head and uttered a shrill. inquiring
whinny.
The party instantly halted. Every
rider turned his face eagerly in my di-
rection, and half dozen rifles and re
vOlvers were jerked into readiness for
action. My pony whinnied again be,
fore | could get a grip upon his muz-
zle, and felt that unless some unex-
pectedly fortunate circumstance inter
vened | should lose the money and
probably my life. The horsemen
were determined, villainOus looking
men, and as glanced about | saw
they had great advantage over me
The scattered patches Of pine scrub on
the steep bare sides of the gorge offer.
ed me but little shelter for retreat,
and the bushes behind which | stood
were but slight protection against
heavy bullets. At the second whinny
Of my horse the men dismounted and
stood behind their animals.
He's in there, sure" heard one of
them say Spread out, boys. an
let's surround them bushes"
Without waiting to hear any more
| thrust the Winchester through the
tops of a plum bush and fired at their
nearest horse, aiming at its body back
of the shoulder. The animal went
down with a groan, and the man be-
hind it sprang back with fierce oath.
My only hope now lay in swift &C
ton and certain aim. A quick motion
of the lever reloaded and cooked my
Winchester, and almost before the
horse had fallen to the ground | had
aimed and fired at the fellow as he
turned to run for cover.
He fell, but got up and ran again
Shifting my aim, opened a rapid fire
on the other horses and men The
robbers returned few hasty and in
etfectual shots and then scattered in
flight When l had fired the seven
teen shots, which emptied my repeat
ing rifle, three horses lay on the Dor
der of the canyon at various distances
away, and one man with broken leg
was dragging himself toward the
shelter of the creek bank His com
panions had fled down the canyon,
two on foot and the others on horse
back. Three or four of their shots had
struck in the bush about me, but none
had hit me.
The sudden, fierce determination
which had seized upon me, and the
swift, effective firing which followed,
were as much a surprise to myself as
they could have been to the road
agents, who no doubt believed there
was more than one shooter behind the
bushes which sheltered me dared
not stop to look after the wounded
man, who undoubtedly would have