Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-07-19

ed off to another tribe of Indians Apache | Mohaves) and while with them did not | have such hard times; they had more to | eat and a better country to live in; 1t seem ed to me that they were another kind of Indians. Here I saw the first signs of civilization; some of the women wore a piece of calico, others would have some other cotton goods or handkerchief and beads such as I had seen traded off to In dians before but dared not ask where they got those things from as such inquis- itiveness would have been certain death to me. l patiently picked up what infor- nation 1 could until had found out where they obtained the calico and other things.
 "One day a new female captive was brought into camp and she had on some clothing that did not belong to any Indian tribe; she lived in the same family with me. This captive was a Mexican woman and from her learned that there were many Mexican people living way down the river and that news first kindled in me the hope that might some day see my own race again.
 An old squaw told me one day that I must not pay any attention to strange In dians whenever such came to the camp wearing cotton goods or any other stuff; that the Indians were very jealous and were watching me and should they mis- i trust me ln any way they would trade me 1 off to some other Indians, 50 l had to be on the lookout
 Early in the spring of '55 the Indians | had a big feast near Fort Mohave and l had to help to carry the camp equipments etc, to this place, but was not allowed to go near the feast ground; the Mexican captive and myself had to stay in tie camp and to take care of the horses. l The first day our Indians got to gam bling with Indians from other parts and one of the Yuma Indians won some horses and he came to camp after them; he was dressed in soldiers, clothing and upon seeing him my blood run cold but I dared not speak to him. After he had picked out his horse our Indians offered | him his choice between the horse and Us 1 two captives, but he took the horse; so they all went back to the feast ground and the feast being oyer few days later all the Indians dispersed and went to l their several homes"
 Several of the Indians from around
 Yuma had gone to this feast and when they returned home told all about the feast and what they had seen there. MT | Grenell had been all the time on the look l out for the Oatman girls and when he heard about two female captives being among the Indians he sent for his Indian friend 1 Antonio and told him to find out all he could about them, but to do 1t in such a way that the Indians would have no | suspicion as to his purpose. So Antonio started out to see all tie Indians that had | been to the feast and at last he met with the one who had won the horses and re- fused to take the two captives in exchange
 for them. Antonio remained about the
 Indian for one week and got from him all
 the information he wanted. Then he re- turned to Mir Grenell reported about the two captives and that the Indians were
 willing to deliver ssthem in exchange for | two horses, red blankets and some beads
 and he was satisfied as to the two captives
 being the sisters of the boy whose parents had been murdered at Oatman's Flat.
 Antonio said If MT. Grenell would furnish
 the mentioned two horses, blankets and
 beads he, Antonio, would go with the In
 dian who had seen the captives, to their
 camp, try to win them by gambling, if
 possible, from the Mohaves, and if they
 could not succeed in that way they would
 trade for them, that if Mir. GTenell would
 furnish the requisites, he, Antonio, would
 obtain the captiyes somehow and bring
 them to Yuma
 Next morning MT. Grenell saw the
 commanding officer of the fort told him
 all he had found out and asked for as-
 sistance. The commanding officer offer
 ed all the assistance he could give; he furnished the blankets and rations for the
 two Indians and the settlers furnished
 the two horses. Antonio and his com } panion then left, saying they would be
 back in two months from that day. : Two months had nearly elapsed without any news of Antonio and his friend hay ing been received. Everybody commenced
 joking Mir, Grenell about his good In dians and telling him that all Indians
 were frauds On the last morning of the stipulated two months the commanding officer went to the carpenter shop and
 said to Mir Grenell: Where are the An tonio girls and your Indians? the two months are up."
 To this MT. Grenell replied; The twc ) months will be up at 12 o'clock tonight ? and 1 think we shall bear from them be , fore the time is up,
 The commanding officer, while leav , ing the shop smilingly remarked: o. K. we will see.
 About noon of that day an India1
 brought a message to Mr. Grenell iron Antonio, saying that the latter was il f camp about 6 miles from the fort anC , that the women had given out from ia tigue; thatTf MT. Grenel would send two 1 horses the party would be at his house ) by sundown.