Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-05-28
A COMANCHE CAPTIVE.

In 1868 hunting party composed Of
several prominent citizens of st. Louis,
Cincinnati, Louisville, and Chicago, and
numbering about thirty in all, catered
the country of the Comanche Indians in
:hat elbow of Texas lying between New
Mexico and the In lian Territory for q
four weeks stay. There was tempo
rary 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 a rattlesnake and laid up for five
days. was with the party In the capac-
Ity 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 Ishould doubtless overtake
them ere they had decided on a perma-
nent camp.
While the Comanches were bitterly
hostile at that date, they had been sadly
reduced by small-I * and driven to the
north, and the old frontiersmen stated
their belief that the party would not
even see one. VIII. 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, /
had hardy mustang, was well armed,
and when rode away from the camp !
had about regained my strength. felt
q bit of dizziness as galloped along over
the trail, and soon discovered that my
eyes were weak. 1he party had left a.
plain trail, and as my mustang had had
o long rest he kept to his gait with hard
ly break up to high noon. Along the
banks of the stream the country was
wooded. A mile to the west ii was
plain and prairie mixed, sometimes bad
ly broken, and then as level as floor
for several miles.
AT noon came to q small creek and
watered and baited my horse and ate
my luncheon. had just mounted for a
new start when heard "Yil vi yii
on my right, and I turned my head to
see five Comanches coming out of the
timber on their ponies. They were
about half a mile away, and had evi-
IDENTIFY just discovered me. They were
to my right and rear, and as started off
on the trail 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 yells were repeated as I rode away,
but after going mile looked back and
saw that the red men had settled down
TO business. They were strung out In
line, and had adapted their pace to mine.
That meant long chase and test Of
endurance.
When man rides for his life the
greatest fear b In his OVERRIDING the
matter. II he pushes too fast at the
start he viii Show his horse, and the
effects win be felt after the frzt ten
miles. I had been Eve years on the
plains, had pretty fair stock Of nerve,
and rode to favor my beast. He would
have gone third faGter had ] permitted
it, but rode to keep my distance and
gain nothing. Every mile OF 30 ] shifted
my weight forward or back, TO relieve
the burden, and 50 the afternoon wore
away. The timber was always In plain
view on my right-the plains on my LETT,
AT 2 o'clock rode right through the
spot where the party had camped the
first night. and as the Indians didn't stop
to inspect Ii or give up the pursuit, /
knew that they had visited the spot be-
fore. They were some rambling party
on The warpath, but too weak to attack
the larger party. As the sun BEGAN 70