The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-10


stand, the men fell back, finally returned
TO their labor, and strikes and mutlnies
were at an end in his camp.
There is an indescribable and o'er-mas-
tering element in the peculiar force and
character of some men, and Newman pos
sessed these in a remarkable degree. No
matter how unexpected or trying the or
deal, he never lost his self possession and
was equal to every emergency. He never
unnerved, as the surgeons say, at the crit
ical moment. The same evening OF the
strike above spoken of, / saw him seize
rope, swing himself down fifty feet into an
old shaft, rescue a little child of the ring
leader, which had accidentally fallen IN,
and with his own hands battle and dress
the great gashes cut into it's face with all
the tenderness oil a woman's touch or
mothers love. 1t was Lavacter, | believe,
who said: ''He only is great who, after
having done what not one in a thousand
could do. proceeds to the accomplishment
of still greater achievements, and then,
like Sampson, passes on, telling neither
father nor mother"
As the suns early rays first kissed the
mountain peaks on the following morning,
well armed and still better supplied with
all that goes to make up hunting partys
equipment, we sailed forth on the road
leading to the well-known and yet but sell
dom-frequented Aparicio canyon, where
game great and small had allured bold
Nimrods. and whose good luck" had am
ply paid them, and whose adventures had
furnished them with an abundant supply
of stories, real or imaginary with which to
regale their friends for all time in camp or
field or at the wayside run.
Our party was quite an imposing caval-
do !. IL L
for with us was an English lord who had
shot tigers in the jung,es of India-you
know German baron who had chased
the wild boar in the forests OF Russia; an
old Texan who claimed to have killed 407
boars in one winter in Avansas before the
war and at time when boar dogs were
bred up 70 their highest pints;" college
president from away down East who had
brought low the mountain sheep in the
Rockies Newman and myself who had
had large eXperience-in listening to
thrice told tales and hair-breadth es-
capes' and two Mexican mozos in charge
OF our supplies.
After a hard ride of ten hours we
camped on the border land of our hunting
ground in a grove OF live oaks and beside
a mountain brook that dashed its silvery
waters over smoothly-worn and moscow
cred stones, and beneath low-hanging
swinging branches and where the white
man seldom came and alone the natives
never roamed That night we slept
soundly and dreamed perchance OF many
a deer brought down, bear and lions laid
as trophies at our feet, and awoke at day
light ito move upon the enemy"
The canyon in many places was very
wide, well covered with timber and a
rla, -
to meet at a certain hanging rock some
five kilometers at noon for lunch, but at a
signal of three shots fired in quick success
sion all were to assemble at that spot.
Newman and l went within close range of
each other. Our progress was necessarily
slow, as we found great difficulty in work
ing our way through the "deep-tangled
wildwood" and every limb and shrub
seemed to be armed with thOrns while the
dagger plants presented their needle
points all too frequently for personal com
fort. 1t was full two hours before we
heard the first shot, off to our left, and
later on two in quick succession to our
right and front, and soon after big buck
dashed by me at full speed and was lost
in a cedar brake before l could get a shot
at him.
Newman, for some distance, had been
following the trail of a bear whose freshly
made tracks he had first discovered at a
water hole where he had doubtless taken
his early morning drink. He had hoped
to find him mapping or perchance making
a breakfast off honey in some bee-tree a.
bees are plentiful here in this land OF wild
flowers, and If a bear possesses one weak
ness above another it is for the sweets of
this world" and especially when he can
find the same stored away in large quant-
ties and within easy access of his paw. As
l came out suddenly into an open space l
saw Newman some fifty yards away peer
ing into a thicket, quickly raise his gun
and fire. Instantly a Mexican lion sprang
upon him and crushed him to the ground.
As if to torment mis- victim he stood over
him and swished his long tail in triumph.
Knowing that this was but moments re-
spite and that then his teeth and claws
would sink into the poorsunfortunate'
flesh, | gave yell 10 attract his attention,
dropped on one knee. and, as he turned
his head in my direction, fired. The lion
gave a bound into the air and fell dead
some fifty feet from his prey. as the ball,
by good fortune, had struck his heart. |
then rushed up to Newman and found
him unable to speak and his face covered
with blood. ! fired two more shots in
quick succession to call in the party, and
then raised Newman's head and bathed
his face in water from my canteen. 1t was
some time after the men had all arrived
before be was able to speak. His head
was lacerated and the flesh of his right
arm was badly torn. The Mexicans with
our lunch, making for the hanging rock,
hearing the signals, soon joined us, and as
Newman was now very weak from the
shock and loss of blood we improvised
stretcher, and by slow and easy stages car
ried him back to our camping ground.
From here we dispatched a messenger to
the village above spoken of for a surgeon
and conveyance, but it was ten leagues
away and night was upon us before they
returned. The surgeon bound up his
wounds and set his collar-bOne, which had
also been broken, but as he feared inter
nal injuries. said time alone would reveal
how serious the accident would prove. 1t
was a tedious all-night travel back to the
Escandide, and quite in contrast with the
happy company that had gone out from
there twenty-four hours before. As the
sun once more lit up the mountain peaks
we carried our unfortunate friend into his
own quarters, pale and utterly exhausted.
Three long, weary weeks, often full of
the deepest anxiety and sOlicitude for his
welfare, wore away. The sudden shock,
the painful wounds and burning fever
had eaten great burrows into Newman's
cheeks and his pale brow and emaciated
hOdv told how severely ma had suffered I