The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-16
PERILOUS BUSINESS.
How Plucky Officer Counted In
dams in Arizona.

A parallelOgram formed by line
from Camp Verde eastward to the White
Mountains, south to the San Carlos, con-
tinued westward to Camp Mcdowell,
and thence north to the point first
named, would contain fifteen thousand
square miles of rocky mountain-peaks,
deep canyons, heavily-wooded mountain
streams and dark pine forests. Here
and there beautiful little valleys and
parks are found. each an isolated oasis,
and it is in this isolation and the inter-
vening barriers that the peculiar diff
culties of the region for campaigning
purposes are discovered.
After incredible upward toll along the
zigzag trail the scouting party reaches
the sharp rocky ridge, whence the al
most precipitous descent begins to the
pleasant camp ground far below, and it
is plainly seen from the commanding
height that the beautiful grassy plain
is of very limited extent, and
shut in on all sides by almost
impracticable mountains. Thus are an
icipations of rest and refreshment
somewhat dashed by the prospect of the
interminable, heart-breaking, rock
climbing struggle to begin again at
daybreak. In most wild mountain
regions the narrow BERNIE on the edge
of streams, or the bed of the stream it.
self, is the only passable route, but here
the mountain torrents that pour out in
every direction from the great ranges
pass for the most part through dark
precipitous box canyons which cut off
communications between the parks,
strung together like beads by the pure,
clear, deep streams, and all who would
penetrate the mountain ranges must do
SO by painfully climbing their rugged
sides.
In this Apache paradise many varieties
of climate are found. From the cool
shade of the pine forests on the 'Black
Mesa" to the burning sandy wastes that
form the valleys of the Salt and ella
rivers, one passes from one extreme to
the other, but would prefer rather to re-
main in the worst than encounter the
torture of a journey over the miles on
miles of confused and jumbled masses
of rocky mountain-peaks to reach the
better.
The theater of operations thus family
outlined, as well as adjacent portions Of
the immense Territory of Arizona, has
been for many years the scene of innu-
merable conflicts between the troops
and the many Apache tribes. record
carefully compiled by the historian of
one of the cavalry regiments which took
its share of the sufferings and hardships
Of the mountain scouting between the
years 1s71-75 shows that in that period
the regiment had ninety-seven combats
with the marauding savages.
Early in the year 1872 it became evil
dent that portion of the Arivipa
Apaches were using Camp Grant as a
base of supplies and pushing their ma
rauding parties out in every direction
into the settled parts of the Territory
The dread entertained by the settlers
for these marauders is best appreciated
when the character and mode of war
fare of the mountain tribes are under
stood. AS an old wagon-master re-
marked to cavalry officer: eve have a
horror of them that you feel for a ghost.
We never see them, but when on the
road are always looking over our shout
ders in anticipation. When they strike,
all we see is the flash of the rifle resting
with secure aim over pile of stones" be-
hind which, like a snake, the red muir
derer lies at full length.
All the Apaches are footmen, mountain
climbers. They will steal horses and
use them, but when driven into the
mountains the herses become a part of
their rations. Graceful, well-formed,
with legs of steel wire, light and active
as cat the Apache on the rocky hill
side is unapproachable, and to fight
him, with any chance of success, he has
to be attacked with skill and great
caution at gray dawn in his bivouac far
up among the rocks. Many a surprise
has been effected by night marches
against natural fortresses absolutely
unassailable in the daytime by any
number of men, and where, if the In
dams had discovered the ascending col
umns, even in the night they could have
repulsed them with great slaughter.
AS first step in the campaign, the
commanding General directed that all
warriors receiving rations should be
counted every day at place to be Sc
lected, within five miles of the post
In order that the officer detailed for this
delicate and dangerous duty might be
able 10 identify and keep record of the
young men, a metal tag stamped with
number was issued to each Indian O.
fighting age. Many of the Indians re
ceived the order with sullen dissatis
faction, because, if carried out. it check
mated their rovings. Seated on Their
heels in increasing concentric circles il
front of the General, the crouching atti
tude and the steady glare of their bril-
liant bead-like eyes made them resem
BILE snakes coiled ready to strike, and
was plain that when opportunity offered
they would resist by the most deadl,
means this effort to scotch them.