The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-19

behind a chain Of sand hills t.
/ compass them in and cut off theil
retreat, while with 40 men L charg
ed the1l. The attack was so sud
den that considerable humble.
were killed before they could pre-
pare for defense. They fled pre-
cipitatt,ly right into the presenc'
of the sergeant and his men. Herr
they met warm reception, anC
finding themselves completely en-
comprised, every one fled his owl
way, and was hotly pursued anC
hard pressed. The chief of the
party, Peta-Nocono, a noted w'r
rior of great repute, with a young
girl Of IS years mounted on his
horse behind, and Cynthia AM
Parker with girl about two years
old in her arms, and mounted OIL
a feet pony, fled together, while
Lieut.. Tom Kelliheir and l pur.
sued them. After running about
a mile Killiheir ran up by the side
Of Cynthia's horse, and was in the
act Of shooting, when she held up
her child and stopped. [ kept on
after the chief, and about a half a
mile further, when within twenty
yards Of him, 1 fired my pistol,
striking the girl whom 1 supposed
to be a man, as she road as one,
and only her head was visible
above the buffalo robe that covered
her body near the heart killing
her instantly, and the same ball
would have killed both but for the
shield of the chief which hung
down covering his back. When
the girl fell from her horse she
pulled him off also, but he caught
upon his feet and before steadying
himself, my horse running at full
speed was very near on top of him
was struck with an arrow, which
sent him to bucking or pitching,
and 1 with great difficulty kept my
saddle, and In the meantime mar
rowly escaped several arrows com
ing in quick succession from his
bow. Being at such disadvantage,
he would have killed me in a few
minutes, but for a random shot
from my pistol while 1 was cling
i.-----'ai. .ss5- lat I.a.-.1 - A.. 4sS----
mel of my saddle, which broke his
right arm at the elbow, completely
disabling him. My horse then be-
came quiet, and l shot the chief
twice through the body, whereupon
he deliberately walked to small
tree, the only one in sight, and
leaning against it, began to sing a
wild weird song. At this time my
Mexican servant, who had once
been a captive with the Comanches
and spoke their language as fluent
ly as his mother tongue, came up
in company with two of my men.
I then summoned the chief to sur
render; but he promptly treated
every overture with contempt and
signalized this declaration with a
savage attempt to thrust me with
"a lance which he held in his left
hand. l could only look upon him
with pity and admiration. For de-
plorable as was his situation, with
no chance of escape, his party ut
terly destroyed, his wife and child
captured Ia his sight, he was I'M
daunted by the fate that awaited
him. And as he seemed to prefer
death to life I directed the Mexi-
can to end his misery by a charge
of buck shot from the gun which
he carried. Taking up his accou-
trements, which 1 subsequently
sent Coz. Houston to be deposited
in the archives at Austin, we rode
back to Cynthia Ann Parker and
KeilliheiI, and found him bitterly
cursing himself for having run his
7 IJBrno-yvvo-~H6Id after an "old
squaw." She was very dirty, both
in her scanty garments and person.
But as soon as 1 saw her face /
said: why Tom, this is a white
woman, Indians don't have blue
eyes" On the way to the village
where my men were assembled
with the spoils and large cabal-
lado Of Indian ponies, L discovered
an Indian boy about nine years OF
age secretly hid in the grass. Elk
pecting to be killed, he began cry
ing, but 1 made him mount behind
and carried him along, and when
in after years 1 frequently pro.
posed to send him to his people,
he steadfastly refused to go, and
died in McLennan county last
year. After camping for the night
Cynthia kept crying, and thinking
It was from fear Of death at oul
hnds. | had the Mexican to tel
hel we recognized as one of oul
own people, and would not harm