Smyrna times., 1889-06-05
FRANCISCO.

From out Of the sands Of that sun
parchpd desert wlaich stretches across
our southwestern country the Zilh lie
JIM, Indian named, rises abruptly For
many miles the mountain lifts barrier
across the plain. It's PERCEPTIONS sides,
Scared and brohcl by crcyiccs, or
ragged with fallen uowldcrs, render pas
sage impossible to all bat the naked say
ages who have found There Dnmo.
In these 7oi.,alu-a fragment Of the
Navajo Indian tribe, uudyr the leader
ship Of marosa old Francisco, have for
a long while iduI-ed their savage in
stingts And while the arm Of the law
is too strong for taem u make open war
rare, little provocauan is needed to in
cite thcu e mischief unless detection
and punishment haus imminent.
Here and there IN the turuous fast
/ noases a spring bubbles from the rocks.
/ and along the water, before it sinks into
the sand, is found uXu:iant pasturage
for the herds OF Indian ponies.
Midway ia i,s extent the mountain is
broken bya narrow pass through which
mcaudcrs an Indian trail 1t was just
here that several months ago an after
noon san WAS seorchiHS party OF young
surveyors flyy had been riding all
daF across e., dusty plain and were
eagerly laohius now for the water aJ the
foot Of Tie i.oUtllu. a score Of weary
pack uuina.a. Wi,n dropping heads and
long ears tapping. "urc picking their
way carefully over the stony trail while
near them g3.y c.I .lamiu the Mormon
packer. With Hist two 3c.siean assistants;
behind dies, followed in single file the
yoaug Heu al the corp.
ihrIu4.a4 crack Of a drivers whip
uow ana t..h came cehoilg back from
IL. cliffs a.oaS with the uniuteLIigibie
..,-on Of e ..e.,ican urging "a the tired
mHIo- The GaaIp-tualo of the lead
mare, brI moved slowly OH; thc dust
loaa ia cls"Js from loulacoro feet; the
SD: Yae1 lauu between the narrow
wallis. aad as get no sign Of water had
been seen
Ayowh huamcjJ.a impatiyutly pushed
"aeai in his oa.sr search lie had not
gone far wa,l A.a.-'tod an Indian boy
riding Igisufely through the pass. Nh,
there was one who could tell Of the COW
ctcl spring prir.iuy his horse he huI-
Hca t. oveY,alc tar I.ttla savage The
boy reused up at the sound Of Ealopiua
huats @'a s..jn. i v-....t man following
SO fast. vl.htHt l..as..g ~ question his
mtent dashed tie ~uaEgE pony to thO
top Of is speed
t ".iold oil. there, lloll on" Jim callet
p to him lut if his voice reached tho
+ lri4h;Hy1 ymm@ator h> gave it 10 heed
uuics, 10 ur2c his pou. The faster. Ther
! irpaai-h lho3. lit crossed tie young
:. mans mind. aaI squirting his horse wild
Iy along IN, trail ua began to utter wal
wlouus and shrck- that might hav,
startled old Francisco himself had h,
been near
: The uunblc pony was making goo;
speed bat the littie savage, fearing to b
o caught and scaipe,. thought the noun
e tain safer limn lh, saddle Withou
$. stopping his pour he sprans lightly L
e the ground, ran Up the hillside and dis
# Appeared in tine ioWidors at the foot O
il, the cliff
~ jim could scarcely keep his saddl
=, he rode along the trail to where the littl
= fellow had disappeared and called to hii
to como down, that he was good Whit
= man and wanted water Bat he mIgl
Is as we'll have hailed Wild jaci; rabbit.
L The pony checked his speed when tn
e rider left him, but still cludcd the yOuu
mans efforts to turn him back in III
narrow pass. The pack train came VI
and the wild animal scurried ahead of
d, until the pass had widened into the va
ley There he was turned and SCI
prancing back toward the mountain.
But the pcryerse little animal instea
of returning insisted now upon follOwil
n the train. Again and again the DO.
dashed at him, and away he would {
for a moments bat presently his hee
would fly into the air and back he wou
come. friskins impishly, and throu4
the rest Of the afternoon followed ut
), distance.
a spring was found before sunset, al
camp was pitched for the night by Il
side of the water The animals we
turned loose to Craze. The weary m'
W. dropped upon tho ground, while Il
cook busted himself preparing suppC
Presently a shadow fell across the groul
:. where we lay, and looking up we c
IS served solitary Indian approaching
blanket thrown over his shoulders anC
rifle ON his arm. 1t was So usual an {
curruncc that little heed was given Iii
- for everywhere they frequent our cam
a. begging necessarily for whisky, tobaC
1. ! 80,
made no request, nor even acknowledg
aY, our salutation of How" we knew Il
his was another object, and that he "
i'll disposed.
Drawing his blanket round him,
= paused a little way off and stood as sill,
~ as a specter He was very tall q
straight, with finely chiseled features
stead Of the brutal face so common
the Indian As he posed there in
p twilight, his picturesque garment drap
about him, with rifle in hand and
,ung shadows around, | could alm
fancy the spirit of Iliawatha had ris'
VI BY this time supper was ready, ant
] cup Of coffee was poured and offered
the Indian He neither accepted nor
fused, but remained as moSionlcss a
he had been cast in bronze. Turn
and presently and walking few steps aw
iuil he uttered tho long, tremulous call OF
coyote An answering note came tr
. the hills near by and soon other lndi
appeared 10y ones and twos and joi
him about the fire. They continued
straggle in until thirty had gathe
around us, and all were armed. i
at was offered them, but not one accep
they were not disposed to be friendly
fee Night had come and with it the {
breeze from the mountains The CT
ou- fire blazed cheerily, and around it
ign Navajos gathered squatting upon
I'D launches. Our men were weary '
the days ride, and after the animals
been picketed, drew out their blan
and lay down about them, their bags
under their heads Noother trouble
expected if the stock were guarded T
- stampede, for body of troops lay at
fort. three days journey from the M
N tain
,E, After the men had lain down the
ans drew closer around the fire, now
then gathering fucl, or speaking OF
a., another in their own language. W.
Al. Il - -.