Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-07-11
Caught Bv Comanches.

III icuo hunting party composed of
several prominent citizens of ST. Lonis.
Cincinnnii, Louisville and Chicago. and
numbering about thirty in all, entered
Inc country oi the Comanchc Indians i'm
tiat elbow OF Texas lying between New
Mexico and the Indian Territory for n
four weeks stay. There WAS a tcnpor,rv
camp oi soldiers at the junction Of the
Big Wichita and the Red Rivers nj that
lime, and as VIC reached it on our way
into the country, was bitten on the c,,
by ratticSnakc, and laid up for five
days was with the party in the capacity
81 scout and hunter, but rs it was n
strong one, ii was decided not to wnit
for me. They were to follow up the Red
ihver to the mouth of the Little Wichita
and should doubtless ovcrtakc them ere
they had decided on permanent camn
While the Comanchcs wero bittcrlv
hostile at that date, they had been sadly
reduced by smallpox and driven to the
north, and the old fronticrs,nen 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 ripht
along, this meant II matter of M ]cnst
eighty miles to me. However. I had -
hardy mustang, was well armed and
when rode away from the camp [ had
about reSalncd my strength. | felt n hit
OF dizziness as gallopcd along oven the
trail, and soon discovered that nv owes
were weak. The party had left II plain
''''ii' "hd as my mustang had had long
rest he kept 10 his Yait with hardly ;,
break NJ 10 high noon. Along the bank.
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 rs floor for several
miles.
At noon came to Il small creek and
watercd and haitcd my horse and ate nv
luncheon. I had Just mounted for IN new
start when heard n .N'i. ri, vi,n on
my right, and turned my head to sc,
hte Comanchcs coming ont of the timhcr
"n their ponies. Thcy were about n half
Il iniic away, ANA had evidently lust dis.
covered ne. They were TO nv rich; and
rear, and rs started OIL on the trail
ma no particular anxiety for nv safety.
There wasn't an Indian pony in Texas
wi, swhlclll could overhaul my mustang in his
PRESENT fresh condition. The wells were
STFeneatef.as | moved away, bur after ,,o.
sgue 6smilc looked back and saw tin,
sfe fed men had settled down to -,
ness They Tcfc str,hI-s@'e in line, ami ~
adapted their paoc to mine THAT meant
ionS'chasc and "a test OF endurance.
When a man rides for his life the
greatest fear is in OVERRIDING the matter
II he pushes too fast al the start he will
elbow his horse, and the effects will be
felt after the first ten miles. | had been
live years On the plains, had ii pretty fair
stock OF nerve, aud rode to favor my
beast. lie would have gone third
faster had permitted it, but rode to
Keep my distance and gain nothing.
Every mile or So ] shifted my wci"h
forward or back, to relieve tn. burden
on INN, ana SO the afternoon wore away.
The timber was always in plain view ON
my right--inc plains on my left. At ,
o'clock | rode right through the SPOT
where The party had camped the first
night, and as the Indians lid not stop to
inspect 1t or give up the pursuit, I knew
that they lad visited the spo, before
i hcy were some rambling party ont on
the warpath, but too weak to attack fine
larger party. AS the sun began to sink
in the west they sought to shorten the
distance a"d bring me within rifle shot
nu' IL word t" the mustang checkmaed
this.
Had been able 10 keep the trail after
three o'clock, | should have counted nj,
hndinS the party i'll their second canp bv
Sunuowh, as wc were getting over the
ground ut rapid pace, but at about that
hour came to II rough, stony distric.
whcre tue passage of the horses had left
no trail, and | went ahead nj random
tanning to keep my distance from the
fr. Twice, i'll crossing small creeks
sIorse got little water, and rs fine
molally went down he seemed to be al.
starh fresh as ut noon. 1t was to he n
| urge, night, and as soon as dusk came
bore mdy beast to faster pace, and
that l ha,o the left. When believed
swerved sBined quarter of mile /
rods, and tito the right, rode for forty
''Custer" the dismounted, and gave
were both fiat ri to lie down. We
party of pursue,thc earth when the
.'thud! thud! thuwept by, and the
feet feet came very plain of their ponies
they had passed on, r my ears. When
ware, ward the timber, and re,. my horse to-
nearing anything furthetd it without
~ tno. . we pushed throue. from the
10 the river, and here were he timber
ana water. had a cold bin grass
napersack, and after disposindin my
stretched out and went to slccns h it
mad given the red men tbe ~ sling Tl;;ng
opened my eyes next morning in ost ,p' !
ment: Seated in a circle nbont " rna a.
;, the five comanches, While tbe, me ever wer
were feeding with my horse ' Thopp onie
tifs and the Indians Ind e nGle WA "a
sassE breakfast. They were smotiu,, =!
q awoks, aud there was n GRIN 0 IN a
lace as It was turned toward me f,o.
on my back, with my hands closn ~;
under my head, and such wns 'p '
astonishment that could NOT mo,. NY
fortunately for me the fellows took s't tSi,
for nerve. I looked from man t TO ,' .nls
and Of finally said, in comnnche ':'" % man.
III is easy enough for so,,,