The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-05-22
Caught BV ComanCheS.

In 1868 hunting party composed of
several prominent citizens of 81. Louis,
Ciucinnnti, Louisville and Chicago, and
numbering about thirty in all, entered
the country of the Comanche Indians in
that elbow of Texas lying between New
Mexico and the Indian Territory fer a
four weeks stay. There was temporary
camp of soldiers at the junction of the
Big Wichita and the Red Rivers at that
time, and as we reached it on our way
into the country, was bitten on the leg
by rattlesnake, and laid up for five
days. Twas with the party in the capacity
of scout and hunter, but as it was a
strong one, it was decided not to wait
for me. They were to follow up the Red
River to the mouth of the Little Wichita,
and should doubtless overtake them ere
they had decided on e permanent camp.
While the Comanches were bitterly
hostile at that date, they had been sadly
reduced by smallpox and driven to the
north, and the old frontiersmen stated
their belief that the party would not even
see one. When l left camp was four
days behind the party. As all were
mounted and intended to push right
along, this meant matter of at least
eighty miles to me. However, l had a
hardy mustang, was well armed, and
when rode away from the camp l had
about regained my strength. felt bit
of dizziness as galloped along over the
trail, and soon discovered that my eyes
were weak. The party had left plain
trail, and as my mustang had hao long
rest he kept to his gait with hardly a
break up to high noon. Along the banks
of the stream the country was wooded.
A mile to the west it was plain and
prairie mixed, sometimes badly broken
and then as level as floor for several
miles.
At noon came to small creek, and
wateIed and baited my horse and ate my
luncheon. l had just mounted for new
start when heard a cyl! vi! yil" on
my right, and turned my head to see
five Comanches coming out of the timber
on their ponies. They were about half
4 mile away, and had evidently just dis
covered me. They were to my right and
rear, and as l started off on the trail l
had no particular anxiety for my safety.
There wasn't an Indian pony in Texas
which could overhaul my mustang in his
present fresh condition. The yeils were
repeated as moved away, but after 60
ing mile l looked back and saw that
the red men had settled down to bust
ness. They were strung out in line, and
adapted their pace to mine. That meant
a long chase and test of endurance.
When man rides for his life the
greatest fear is in OVERRIDING the matter.
If he pushes too fast at the start he will
"blow" his horse, and the effects will be
felt after the first ten miles. had been
FIVE years on the plains, had pretty fair
stock Of nerve, and l rode to favor my
beast. He would have gone a third
faster had permitted it, but rode to
keep my distance and gain nothing.
Every mile or so 1 shifted my weight
forward or back, to relieve the burden
on him, and so the afternoon wore away
The timber was always in plain view on
my right-the plains on my left. At 2
O'Clock 1 rode right through the spot
where the party had camped the first
night, and as the Indians did not stop to
inspect it or give up the pursuit, l knew
that they had visited the spot before.
They were some rambling party out on
the warpath, but too weak to attack the
larger party. As the sun began to sink
in the west they sought to shorten the
distance and bring ME within rifle shot,
but word to the mustang checkmated
this.
Had l been able to keep the trail after
three o'clock, should have counted on
finding the party in their second camp by
sundown, as we were getting over the
ground at rapid pace, but at about that
hour | came to rough, stony district,
where the passage of the horses had left
no trail, and 1 went ahead at random,
planning to keep my distance from the
river. Twice, in crossing small creeks
my horse got little water, and as the
sun finally went down he seemed to be al
most as fresh as at noon. 1t was to be 4
starlight night, and as soon as dusk came
I urged my beast to faster pace, and
bore more to the left When l believed
that l had gained quarter of a mile 1
swerved sharp to the right, rode for forty
rods, and then dismounted, and gave
"Custer" the word to lie down. We
were both fat on the earth when the
party of pursuers swept by, and the
i'thud! thud! thud!" of their ponies
feet came very plainly to my ears. When
they had passed on, led my horse to-
ward the timber, and reached it without
hearing anything further from the
Indians. We pushed through the timber
to the liver, and here were both grass
and water. l had cold bite in my
haversack, ana after disposing of it
stretched out and went to sleep, hoping
had given the red men the slip. l
opened rly eyes next morning in astonish-
ment. Seated in a circle about me were
the FIVE Comanches, while their ponies
were feeding with my horse. There was
q fire, and the Indians had evidently