Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-28

rendered, and my first reception was better
! than had hoped for. They did not, as
rule, feel so bitter against the stage people
and guards as they did against the soldiers.
| handed out my weapons, submitted to be
bound without a question, and was then
mounted on pony and stationed in the
| center of the band as il rode off to the
northwest. This was about two hours be-
fore shutdown. 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
| hidden away in a dry run about three
miles off the stage route. We had scarcely
come up when | recognized in one of the
warriors the young buck whom had cared
for at the water-hole the year previous.
He gave me sign of recognition, and with
1t signal that we were to be strangers
He was one of the first to declare my iden-
tlty as Government scout, and to argue
that | 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 white man named
Cooper and boy named Peters. They
had been captured together thirty miles
away while hunting for lost horse. The
man seemed dull-witted, and did not APP
parently realize what was in store for him.
The boy, on the contrary, keenly appreci-
ated his danger, and was all unnerved. He
was only sixteen years old, pale and sickly,
| and when | saw him in tears | could not
reproach him, though l warned him that
| he would subject himself to the contempt
of the Indians, and provoke them to ad-
minister greater punishment.
At dusk We all set off together in a
north-westerly direction, and after riding
a distance of eighteen or twenty miles we
| reached an Indian camp on a creek rum
ming into the Solomons river. This creek
is called "Wolf," Bear" Grow" and sew
eral 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 on the war;
path. About half a dozen, two of whom
were 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 l
found my self so securely tied that l could
neither move hand nor foot. A warrior
was placed on guard at the door, and after
an hour or two of rejoicing the village set
tied down to sleep. | could take no other
position except to lie on my right side,
and the thongs panied me so that l could
not sleep. | was facing the door of the
lodge, and it was within half an hour of
daybreak, when a voice whispered in my
ear:
LET my brother keep up stout heart.
! will seek to release him when night
comes againr'
Itwas the voice of the warrior had sue
cored many months ago, and he had en-
tered 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 a move to-
ward escape.
Morning dawned soon after my visitor
left, and the whole village had eaten
breakfast before 7 o'clock. About that
hour warrior came in, united me, gave
me big dish of soup and large piece OF
meat, and when l had finished the meal
my hands were tied behind my back and |
was led out and tied to a stake and made
to witness the torture inflicted on Cooper
and the boy. This began at o'clock and
lasted until noon. l 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 unfort-
unately he was as one stricken dumb.
They got no enjoyment out of his suffer
ings and soon dispatched him.
Cooper was strong, healthy man, and
he was under some sort of torture for three
hours before they finished him. l 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 up as before, and no
one came near me until shutdown. Then |
was given the same food as in the morning,
a guard placed outside the door, and by 10
o'clock the village was asleep. 1t was 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
circulation, 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 1 found pony ready
saddled, handed me luncheon in bark
basket, and the revolver lent him so long
ago, and as l got my seat in the saddle he
whispered:
"You saved my life-now save yours
Good Ride this way and go fast until
daylight
He disappeared before l could thank
him, and l rode away in the direction in
Dictated. By daylight was safe at dug
out on the mail route, and it was eighteen
months later before heard of my dusky
friend again. Then it was to learn that
lie had been suspected of aiding my escape
and was tomahawked as traitor.-NY.
Sun.
NoBoDY need suffer from lsnguor and
| melancholy If they take Simmons Liver