The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-06-19
BLACK CLOUDS SON,
4 GOVERNMENT RInER's srnRN-

y GOV EkNAlENI RIDER s STORY.
There will never be another Indian out
break serious enough to call for the ac-
tlon of full regiment of soldiers in sup
pressing it. The determination of the
buffalo was the death-blow to the hostile
Indian. Added to that, the building of
the railroad lines flooded the West with
emigrants, miners, hunters and tourists,
and the Indian found himself hedged in
by circumstances. The red man is no
longer warrior. He is down, and down
pretty low, and it is the beginning of the
end. He is doomed to follow the buffalo,
and his total extinction will be regretted
only by the few philanthropists who
argued for him as theory, and never
came in physical contact.
No human being ever came nearer
being a tiend than an Apache Indian. The
Pawnees, Blackfeet and Cheyennes were
wicked enough, but the Apache had
traits of his own-a tiendishness 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 so much amused as when assist
ing to torture some living thing. He was
never so satisfied as when planning to
take life.
A year previous to the time General
Custer was ordered West to begin a vigor-
Gus campaign 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
imps. 1t is of that incident l am going
to Srite.
A month sfore my capture l was ont
on a scout on the Rio Pecos River, our
party numbering eighteen men. We
were well mounted and moving quickly
from point to point. One day at noon
we went into camp in grove of cotton
woods, and before / had unsaddled the
Lieutenant in command informed me
that he had lost his revolver from its
holster during the last mile of our ride,
and asked me to ride back in search. In
stead of riding | returned on foot, and
had the luck to find the weapon only
about a quarter of a mile away. then
cut across an elbow to reach the grove,
and when within stones throw came sud
denly upon an Indian pony ina dry gulch,
and at the same instant discovered his
owner crouched behind a boulder with
his back to me and his face to the grove.
l had him under my rifle before he could
turn his head. Indeed, my finger was on
the trigger when | saw that he was boy.
He had a rifle in his hands, but / called
out to him to lay it down or / would fire,
and after moments hesitation he
obeyed, Them as l kept him covered at
a distance of only seven or eight feet, l
called to the men in the grove, and
several of them came huTying down in
response.
l had captured son of Black Cloud,
Chief of one of the Apache bands, and
the boy was named after his father He
was only fourteen years old, and his
presence there eXemPliied the ruling traits
of Apache character Three hours before
he had discovered our party while out
hunting with party of his own. They
dared not make an open attack, but the
young Chief had 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 off the Lieutenant, and
then make his escape to boast of Il. We
had splendid horses and We're all old
eampaigners, and the boy would not have
had one chance in ten to get away. lie