Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-24
AMONG THE APACHES.


him o. a theory and never came In physical
contact.
No human being ever came nearer being
devil than an Apache Indian The Pawnees,
Biackfeet and Cheyennes were wicked enough,
but the Apache had traits Of his own-a devil
ishress which other tribes might initiate but
could not equal He was born crafty and
cruel He never had the slightest feeling OF
mercy or pity from the cradle to the grave.
He was never 20 much amused as when as
sisting To torture some living thing. He was
never 80 satisfied as when planning TO take
life
year previous to tho time Gen. Custer
was ordered west to begin a vigorous cam
paign against the Indians, the Apaches were
in their glory, and they boasted that they
could defeat any force Of soldiers sent against
them was scouting and mail carrying in
Texas for the government, and after many
close shaves was finally captured by the red
devils 1t is Of that incident am going to
write.
A month before my capture was out on
scout on the Rio Pecos river, our party num-
berins eighteen men. We were well mount
ed and moving quickly from point to point.
One day at noon We went into camp In q
grove of cotton woods, and before had IN
saddled the lieutenant in command in
formed mo that he had lost his revolver
from its holster during the last mile
Of our ride, aud asked to ride
back in search. Instead Of riding | re-
turned on foot. and had the luck to find the
weapon only about quarter Of mile away.
! | then cut across an elbow to reach the grove,
and when within stones throw came sud
| denly upon an Indian pony in dry gulch,
and at the same instant discovered his owner
| crouched behind q bowlder with his back to
me and his face to the grove. had him
| under my rifle before lie could turn his head.
| Indeed, my finger on the trigger when
| saw that he boy. He had a rifle in
his hands. but called out to him to lay it
down or would fire, and after a moments
hesitation he obeyed Then. as | kept him
covered at distance OF only seven or eight
feet, | called to the lnen in the grove, and
several Of them came hurrying down in re-
sponse-
| had captured a son Of Black Cloud, chief
Of one Of the Apache bands, and the boy was
| named after his father. He was only IA
! years old and his presence there exemplfied
the ruling traits Of Apache character. Three
hours before he had discovered our party
while out bunting with party of his own.
! They dared not make an open attack, but the
young chief hal sent his people away and
then cut across the country to the grove,
| planning that we would halt there Single
handed and alone he was going to pick of the
| lieutenant and then make his escape TO boast
Of IL.
We had splendid horses and were all old
campaignerS, and the boy would not have
| had one chance in ten to get away He must
| have realized it, and yet he willing to
run the risks He was greatly chagrined and
cast down By his capture. We had finished
| our scout and were our way back to Fort
| Mckavett. and we determined to carry him
| in prisoner When he was informed Of this
| he earnestly begged me to kill him, saying
that he could never hold up his head among
| his people again Had he been wounded and
! rendered helpless it would not have been so
bad but to he taken he was would forever
disgrace him We bound him fast to his
| pony secured tile animal against break for
| liberty. and set out for the fort
| The boy was sulen and defiant for a time
refusing 10 answer any questions, but after
| a while, when had told him that he would
not be harmed, and that his capture under
the circumstances redounded to his credit he
! thawed out a little Three hours after his
| capture got sight Of a single Indian mile
| away to our right on a knoll. and as we
| halted Young Black Cloud informed me that
| it was one of his tribe. who wanted to have a
| talk with us. Signals were exchanged be-
| tween the two, and the stranger soon came
| galloping in. He was one Of the hunting
| party, and had been dogging for twenty
miles to find out If the boy had been cap
tured. He was fine looking fellow, and as
he halted in our midst and saw the ignoble
situation of the boy his first thought was to
| fight for him | called his attention to the
| fact that any move of his would result in the
death of both. and then explained how the
! youth was captured
| Knowing the conceit of the tribe, | spread
| It on very thick, alleging that it required our
| whole force to make the capture, and it was
| not accomplished then without hard fight.
| This falsehood made the boy my friend for
| life, while il put the other in better humor.
| stated that young Black Cloud would be
taken tn the fort and held prisoner until ex-
| change, for some white captive, and gave my
word that he would be well treated mean
| while lie sent a message to his father to
| the effect that he was not afraid, and hoped
| to be at liberty in a few days, and two hours
later we had him safely lodged in the guard
| house at the fort. His capture was looked
| upin good thing, for we knew that his
tribe would gladly exchange two or three
white prisoners for him
Two weeks after the capture of young Black
Cloud was called into the coonel's office one
evening and asked If ! thought it possible TO
get through to Fort Concho with dSra,ches.
| The country was then in the possession Of the
| hostiles The Pecos warriors had come down
| out Of New Mexico to make common cause
against the whites and the Kiowas Chey-
ennes, Chickasas s Seruinoles and Shaw
nees were all out In the country TO the north
and east, The Apaehes had us alrost in .
state of siege, being seen every day within
five miles Of the post. and the chances Of max
ing sixty mile ride across the plains lying
between the two forts without running
against party of hostiles was not one in fifty.
At such perilous times a government rider IL
not commanded to go. He is asked certain
questions however, in q manner which de-
cides him to make the attempt left the
post at O'Clock at night Of an August even
ing. perfectly satisfied that should be dead
or a prisoner before midnight
had a bronco Of tireless gait q rife and
revolver. and | carried only fiveor six pounds
extra weight Before setting out went in
to see young Black Cloud and say good-by.
hsi spent much of my time in his company,
and we bad become pretty good frienda
When told him Of my journey be took from
his neck buckskin string. to which was At
tached the tooth Of a grizzly bear. and handed
II to me with the remark:
'You cannot get through you will b
captured or killed II not shovd down show
this to my people They will know who il
belongs to. They may trade you for me. and
shall thus get back to my tribe"
A thunder storm was coming up . took
my departure Instead Of holding due north
on the direct route, l rode to the east for i've
miles and then held away for Concho direct
The storm now broke. and for . full hour
rode ahead at a steady gallop, one moment In
darkness so black that l could not - the
ears Of my horse. and the next in . blaze of
light 80 brilliant that It blinded me By the
time the storm had passed was q good If
teen miles from the fort, and - had seen
nothing to alarm me began 70 hope that
would get through all right It was between
10 and II O'Clock, and bad pulled my brun-
co down to q walk for the frst time, when be
suddenly uttered \ snort of alarm and start
ed OF with wild Jumps Three Or four ri6ss
cracked, and a. the reports reached ms ths
horse fell in a heap and dung me Tar over Ids
bod was mnmentarily summed b. ths
fall, and before bad made move TO get up
~,a esai 81 nv AZ l~arf thr~n yn<aS.,e ~.