The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-30
A RACE WITH ROBBERS
Tie Poet OF the Sierras Relates a
Thrilling Incident OF His Youth.
JOAQUIN, Miller =, 81 Ni~boy,s

Thrilling Incident of His Youth
Joaquin Miller in st. Nichols.
was lying ice-bound at Lewiston, ID.
Men wanted to send moaey below b their
friends OF families; merchants, anticipating
the tremendous rush. muss get letters
through the snow to Walla Walla. Would
I go. Could go'
The ow was deep. The trails. over
open and monotonOus mountains. were
drifted full. Could any livIng man face
the drift < snow and find his way to
Nala Walla! At first the merchants had
tried to hire Indians to undertake the trip
rnd dellver. the letters, Not one could be
found TO SO When the storm a. ated a
little, the men who kept the ferry across
the Shoshon g river scrapei off the snow,
and, cutting down the uDheaved blocks
OF ice, made it possible to cross with
horse.
At first l meant to carry only letters
But, having finally consented to take a
little gold for one merchant, soon found
should lose friends If l did not take gold
for Others. The result WAS that | had to
take gold worth nearly $4,000.
A few mufiled-up friends came down to
the river bank to see me of. It was a great
event. For two weeks we had not had a
line from the outer world. And, meantime,
0N'A. a. vas ihAiuS III al us lcEElDio
fury. As set out that bleak and lev morn
ing, after had mounted my plunging pony,
saw In the crowd several faces that l
did not like. There was Dave Elgish,
who was hanged on that spot with several of
his followers, not forty days later: there
was Boone Helm, hanged in Montana; Chero-
kee Bob. killed in Millersburg, and also
Canada Joe. This last lived with some low
Indians a little way down the river. S
when he rO6A "a haad IF ma I nv rat thar oIad
than other wise; for felt that ne would not
go far. | kept watch of him however
And when | saw that he skulked around
under the hill. as IL ne were going hone.
and then finally got back into the trail, 1
knew there was trouble ahead.
But the "Rublconr was now behind. Ny
impetuouS horse was pl lnging in the snow,
aud was soon tearing through the storm
up the hill. q ce fairly on nv way |
looked back below. Dave English and
Boon Helm we're bid ling good-by TO two
mounted cowboys at tho ferry hOu "a. Ten
minutes later, as looked back through the
binding snow. saw that these two desper-
ate fellows were following me.
True, there was nothing criminal in that.
The two highwaymen had right TO ride
hehicd me If they wis ned. And Canada
Joe had Just as good right to ride ahead
OF me. But to he on horse deep in the
binding snow, and loaded dowl with gold,
was bad enough. To have a desperate
blocking the narrow trail before you, with
his two friends behind you, was fearful.
had two six shooters close at hand under
the bearskin flap of my saddle bag where the
gold was. | kept my left hand in my
pocket where lay small six shooter war II
and ready. Once, as the drifting and blind
ing snow broke away up the mountain.
saw Canada Joe with his head bent down in
the st rm still pushing on ahead of me at a
safe distance. A few moments after, as
crossed and climbed the farthest bank Of an
ugly canon, the two robbers came close
enough to hail me. One of them held up a
bottle. They evidently intended to over
take me if they could, and profess TO be
friendly. This | must not allow. | urged
my ambitious horse to his best. But. TO my
dismay, as FASTENED up a narrow pass,
found that | was not far behind Canada
Joe. This low>browed black fellow was
reported to be the worst man in all tlat
country. And that was saying he was bad
indeed.
| was in tight place now, and had TO
think fast. NY first plan was to ride for
ward aud face this man before the others
came up. But was really afraid of him.
It seemed a much easier task t. turn and
kill the two rear men and get back to town.
But, mol MOI all this was abandoned al
most as soon as thought OF. In th Dse days,
even the most desperate had certain rights
which their surviving friends would en-
force.
was now but a few hundred yards be-
hind Canada Joe. So far as / could fad
out. the robbers we're closing in on me. But
we bad ridden over the toughest part Of the
road and were within few miles OF the
high plateau, so that the wind was tearing
past in a gale, and the drifting snow almost
blinded me.
Suddenly | had new thought. Why
not take to the left, gain the plateau by
new route, and let these bloodthirsty rob-
bers close their ct without having me
ment at the idea, and, striking spurs to my
brave horse, l was soon climbing up the
gradual slope at a gallop. AMI
but l was glad! Gsllopl gal
lop! gallopl | seemed TO hear many
horses! Turning my head sud leuly over
my shoulder, saw my two pursuers no. a
hundred yards behind me. They slouted
was now on the high plateau, and the
snow was not 80 deep. Gallopi gallopl
gallop! Canada Joe-thank heaven--w was
away to the right, and fast falling be ind.
Gallop! gallUp! gallopl l was gaining on
the robbers, and they knew it. Fainter and
fainter came their curses and their shouts
And then: Whizl Crack Thud
. looked back and saw that they both had
thrown themselves from taeir saddles and
were taking deliberate aim.
But to no purpose. Not one shot touched
me or my horse, and reached the drst
station aud, finally, rode into Walla
w al with INV T1racinuS burdan cafe and