Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-02-16
A FRONTIER STORY.
a White Mans Figuring Against
Indian Cunning.

Indian Cunning.
Directly following the close OF the
Indian campaign in which the gallan,
Custer lost his life, there was a yeal
OF dangerous peace on the frontiers.
mean by that that while the redskin.
were supposed to have been thrasheC
into submission, and while they were
apparently at peace, they lost no op.
p%ortnnity TO murder helpless people.
The whites were bound by honor to
observe the peace and to trust them to
a certain limit, and, knowing this, the
more dissatisfied bucks took every ad.
vantage.
was still In the employ of the Gov
crnment as a scout and rider, and II
was my luck to bring about the cap-
turc OF four bucks who were guilty OF
numbering an old man. They were
awaiting trial when a young warrior
named Black Serpent, who vas the son
OF one OF the arrested men. sent me
word that he would have my life in re.
renge. was stationed at Fort HAYS.
n he sent word In by a trader. Black
Serpent was an Apache, and was de.
scrlbed to me rs being about twenty.
three years OF age, strong, fleet and as
cunning as q fox. ! did not know him
by sight, while he doubtless had the
advantage OF knowing me. In two or
three instances when such messages
had been brought in they were accom-
r~-i-i - ~ ,.,- ,-ss...o,ty. nm,
the sender would be at a certain place
alta certain hour, The recipient had
MS choice to show up and kill or be-
Killed in a fair exchange of shots, or
return the message in contempt, and
take his chance Of being assassinated.
BLACK Serpent gave me no alternative.
lie meant to catch me off my guard
and kill me.
while 1t wasn't very pleasant to
nave such a threat hanging over a man.
did not worry much about il. Indeed.
IL was the habit Of every scout to take
all possible precautions ANYHOW. 7
simply felt that | had the right. he
having sent me the message, TO shoot
the young buck on sight, and as for
what he was going to do, | left that all
10 him.
About a week later I was called up-
on TO make d ride OF about seventy
miles to a camp on the Smoky Hill
stage route, and al | was ready to set
Out several Of my friends came TO me
and cautioned me TO look out for Black
serpent, who had been seen the day be.
lore about ten miles from the fort and
directly on the route | should travel.
According to the terms OF surrender he
shonld have been under supervision at
the agency, endorsed and disarmed.
but here he was, galloping about on a
war pony, armed with a Winchester
and a navy revolver, and lying in wait
to do murder. | was as ready as I
could be to encounter MIN. I had the
firearms and a splendid horse.
and unless be ambushed me he would
no odds in his favor.
SO far as animal cunning goes the
American Indian has no superior on
He is quick OF ear and vision.
keen to take in a situation, and he
pretty well up to a certain
point. Novelists have, however, ele.
him too high. A white man who
las been trained In the Indian country
an see. hear, or smell just as keenly,
'un just as fast, shoot better, go with
food or water just as long, and
1t comes TO figuring" he can
Neat the sharpest redskin by a length.
don't say this because ! had to figure
Black Serpent, but because
seen it proved in fifty instances.
When an Indian plots against a
white man he plots something to
executed under cover of darkness.
While my route lay ver a lonely
md broken country, small detach-
nents OF soldiers were shifting about,
md ] reasoned that Black Serpent
would hardly take the chances OF an s
Imbush. The report Of his gun might !
'e heard, or he might miss me In I
hooting. or he might be q in the I
OF the deed and suspected of IL. I
While he would have an opportunity ,
{ every mile Of the journey to shoot
I me from behind rock. or bush, or
idge. rode along without special Wig II
Iance. arguing for reasons above a
iven. that he would not dare do It. r
u va one o'clock in the afternoon .
efore knew that he was on my trail. a
8 ! rose a ridge ! caught sight OF him r
bout a mile away. but my observation h
rs SO slyly made that he could not "
~ ] had detected him. He had been n
'ncealed In a gully about FIVE miles Ii
ack. ] learned sfterward that q hall. q
reed who hung about the fort had told y,
i'm that would probably be sent of d.
that direction, and that he had been vi
lcamped Ia the gully ior three days
ID watching for me. Black Serpent to
y doing Just as ] had reasoned he ar
ould-wsiting for night intended tn
make au easy journey Of Il by rid ~
9 about forty miles and camping for
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