The Portland daily press., 1889-12-21

<euuereu, ana my ur5V TSc0ptlOn WAS
better than / had hoped for. They did
not, as rule, feel as bitter against the
stage people and guards as they did
against the soldiers. I handed out my
weapons, submitted to be bound without
a word, and was then mounted on a
pony and stationed in the center of the
band as it rode off to the northwest.
This was about two hours before sum
down. After riding for an hour, during
which several Indians questioned me in
regard to the soldiers, we united with
another band of eighteen, who were hid
den away in dry run about three miles
off the stage route. We had scarcely
come up when l recognized in one of the
warriors the young buck whom l had
cared for at the water hole the year
previous. He gave me a sign of recog-
milton, and with it a signal that we were
to be strangers. He was one of the first
to declare my identity as government
scout, and to argue that I ought to be
put to the torture at once.
Several other young men agreed with
him, but the older heads would not listen
to anything of the kind. / was greatly
shocked to find that this second band
held as prisoners a white man named
Cooper and boy named Peters. They
had been captured together thirty miles
away while hunting for a lost horse.
The man seemed dull witted, and did
not apparently realize what was in store
for him. The boy, on the contrary,
keenly appreciated his danger and was
all unnerved. He was only 16 years old,
pale and sickly, and when l saw him in
tears / could not reproach him, although
warned him that he would subject him
self to the contempt of the Indians and
provoke them to administer greater pun
ishment.
At dusk we all got off together in a
northwesterly direction, and after riding
distance of eighteen or twenty miles
we reached an Indian camp on a creek
running into the Solomons river This
creek is called "Wolf," "Bear," "Crow"
and several other names, but military
records speak of it as Snake creek. 1t
was Black Eagles village, and numbered
about fifty lodges, but only the old men
and boys were home. All the warriors
were off on the warpath. About half q
dozen, two of whom We're wounded,
came in, however, two hours after our
arrival, and next morning saw one
band of fourteen come in from the east.
Each prisoner was placed in a different
quarter of the village. A family near
the center of the village vacated a lodge
for my benefit, and when left alone |
found myself SO securely tied that could
neither move hand nor foot. A warrior
was placed on guard at the door, and
after an hour or two of rejoicing the viii
lage settled down TO sleep. l could take
no other position except to lie on my
right side, and the thongs panied me so
that could not sleep. was facing the
door of the lodge, and it was within half
an hour of daybreak, when voice whis-
pered in my ear:
"Let my brother keep up stout heart!
will seek to release him when night
comes again."
1t was the voice of the warrior / had
succored many months ago, and he had
entered the lodge from the back side. |
had not detected the slightest sound, nor
in his Withdrawing could l follow him.
The guard at the door appeared to be
asleep, but if had been able to work out
of my bonds should not have made
move toward escape.
Morning dawned soon after my visitor
left, and the whole village had eaten
breakfast before o'clock. About that
hour warrior came in, united me, gave
me big dish of soup and large piece
of meat, and when / had finished the
meal my hands were tied behind my
back and Twas led out and tied to stake
and made to witness the torture inflicted
on Cooper and the boy. This began at
o'clock and lasted until noon. I was
satisfied from the first that they would
let the'boy off lightly, as fear and anxiety
had wrecked his mind. Had he been
voluble and full of gestures, as insane
people usually are, / think they would
have turned him loose, but unfortunately
he was as one stricken dumb. They got
no enjoyment out of his sufferings, and
soon dispatched him.
Cooper was strong, healthy man, and
he was under some sort of torture for
three hours before they finished him.
was to be saved until the morrow, when
other warriors were expected in, and
the village was to be broken up. At
noon was taken back to the tepee, tied
as before, and no one came near me I'M
til shutdown. Then was given the same
food as in the morning, a guard placed
outside the door, and by 10 o'clock the vii
lage was asleep. TWAS an hour later, and
was lying in the same position as the
night before, when knife carefully cut
the thongs. Then hand chafed my
wrists and ankles to restore the circula-
ton, and after six or seven minutes a
voice whispered:
"My white brother must move as the
snake! Gomez"
crept after him on hands and knees.
he led the way right through the village,
clearing the path of everything that
might give the alarm, and we were well
out of it before we rose up. Then he
hurried me to grove, where ! found a
pony ready saddled, handed me lunch
con in bark basket and the revolver
lent him so long ago, and, as got my
seat in the saddle, he whispered:
"You saved my life-now I save
yoursl Goodl Ride this way, and 60
fast until Daylight
He disappeared before l could thank
him, and rode away in the direction
indicated. By daylight was safe at
dugout on the mail route, and it was
eighteen months later before heard of
my dusky friend again. Then it was to
learn that he had been suspected of aid
ing my escape and was tomahawked as
a traitor.