Mohave County miner., 1890-10-11
A NEW MEXICO DAVID

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j doubt very much II Lucario Mon
foya had eyer heard OF that wonderful
fight long ago between the shepherd
STRIPPING David and Goliah of Gath.
Certainly he had never read OF those
things, for book would have been the
most incomprehensible Of mysteries to
Lucario. But in the great aud won
derful volume of 0ut-of-Doors be
was an apt scholar, for In that he had
had the most learned of school-masters
Ibis Mexican father and his Indian ae-
quaintances.
He could 20 out into the travelled
road and read from the Struggling
hierogiyphics Of the dust how long It
had been since the last party passed;
whether they were Mexicans or Indi-
ans, men or women. travelling fast or
slowly, by night or By day. He could
not read II so well as an Indian. but
he was famous trailer none the
less. in all outdoor sports, too, that
were known then and there, he was an
expert.
With bow and arrows, Lucario won
many pony and gay blanket ia
matches with the Nayajos and Utes
With the Rata be was equally skillful
and more than once had lassoed ante
hope Ia the prairies along the Aqua
Azul.
Above all, he could throw the knife.
1t was the favorite weapon Of his race,
and one in the deadly use of which
they have never been exeellel. Ever
since his boybood Lucario had prac-
tieed throwing his knife, and now
from forty feet away he could drive it
quiyering two inches deep into a foot
circle of wood. With the arm hanging
at full length, he placed the knife point
forward in the open palm. Then he
showed bis arm suddenly forward. with
a sort Of scooping motion, and of few
the glittering missile.
All this Lucario was at home in, but
If YOU had shown him a book, with
those funny little black things chasing
each other across the white paper, I
am sorry to say he would have been
quite lost.
Lucario was a shepherd, and tended
one Of the focks OF Don Refugio when
the Indians were sufficiently quiet to
admit of any sallying forth from the
little walled town. Though known
for his athletic accomplishments, he
was neither tall nor very muscular,
but an ordinary lad Of seventeen, who
might weigh one hundred and twenty
pounds. but maxine up in wiriness,
skill and agility he lacked In
brute strength. traight, Jet hair
fell below his shouiuers; his face-just
showing faint, dark furze-Was thin,
but with vivid red shining through
the olive skin, aud his black eyes were
large and wonderfully bright,
1t was in 1840-eight years before
New Mexico became part Of the United
States. OF our race. who arrogate to
themselves distinctiyely the name
Americans, there were hardly any
In the proyince-perhaps a dozen in
all. Bat of the descendants of the
hardy Spanish pioneers who became
Americans long before any English
speaking did, there we're Elany thou
sands But they were heavily ont
numbered by the Indians, of whom
there were many powerful, hostile
tribes.
The Pueblos, a race of quiet farmers
who dwelt in as good houses as the
Mexicans themselves, had made their
last protest, more than a century be-
fore, against the occupancy Of the
Spanish. and we're now excellent neigh
bors, But the Apaches, the Navaios,
the Utes. the Piutes, the Uncompahgres
and the Comanches had never been
conquered and were necessarily war
ring upon the settlers. Lucario's faith
er. mother, grandfather. great-grand-
father, five uncles, two older brothers,
and 1 know not how many more dis
tant relatives, had all been killed by
the Indians, and his was by no means
an unparalleled ease Of bereavement.
This year the Ules had been doing
their eruelest work in Western New |
Mexico. They had surprised several |
hamlets and massacred all in them,
had cut of many shepherds, stolen |
many thousand sheep, and made un-
successful but disastrous assaults upon |
-Cebolleta and other small fortified |
towns. II had become unbearable, and |
the chief men throughout New Mexico |
had met and subscribed money 10 send |
out against the Indians a thousand |
volunteers under the command OF the |
brave Manuel Chayes. Lucario's only |
surviving uncle-his fathers eldest
brother-was second in command and |
Lucario, TO his great delight, was AL
lowed 10 join the expedition.
The force marched far north, and |
two days later encamped in the plain
below the giant range Of Jemez, having
sighted large force Of Utes in the |
timber ahead. The New Mexieans,
who were outnumbered four to one.
entrenehed themselves as best they
might, To await the attack. The Utes
came skimmiDg about the camp on their
feet rhOrses, with tauntiug gestures, but
taking good care to keep beyond the
range Of the fintlocks.
One gigantic savage, mounted upon
q large and snow-white mustang, made
himself particularly conspicuous. He
was plainly ehie!. His 6uckskin suit
OF soft black was beautifully fringed.
and resplendeBt with silver buttons.
He was fully seven feet tall, and inn
meuselY broad across the shoulders.
His horsemanship was wonderful and
the brave New Mexicans who could ap-
preciate the good points ofeven an en-
emy. were lost ia admiration.
"Ah. what a mani they cried. az he
swept past them like the wind. now
yauiting TO his feet ia the saddle. now
altogether disappearing on the farther
side of his horse, and shooting arrows
at them from under the horses neck
with astonishing force aud accuracy.
and now leaging from saddle to ground