The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-07-18

and GOV cred with flags and rushes and
some stunted willows. Here we lay all
day, for the most part down on our
stomachs under the brush. OF course
we could build no fire nor move
about, SO we ate the cold victuals the
women had brought along. and dipped
up water with my cap. Twice parties
of Indians stopped not hundred
yards below where we were to water
their horses, but, judging from their
actions, / knew they did not suspect
anyone was near them, but were prob
ably on their way to Ridley's. They
did not linger but rode on at once,
much to my relief, for all the time they
were within hearing / am sure did
not draw breath a minute for fear
one of the children would cry out,
when we would have all been massa-
cred; but the poor little things, with
the exception of child few weeks
old, were too badly scared to stir or
speak unless hidden, and as for the
women, they put any man ever saw
to shame with their calmness and
/
courage.
'When night came we struck out for
line of the hills lying about five miles
away, and where counted on finding
cave or at least hiding place. OF
course and the women and the larger
children could have made it without
difficulty, but being obliged to wait on
the little ones and to carry them every
half mile or SO, we were nearly all
night getting to the nearest hill. We'd
gone about mile when low down on
the horizon l saw dull glow, and
knew the Indians were burning the
camp and that they'd be on our trail in
little while. When we got to the hill
/ could see nothing like cave, and,
while it was pretty heavily wooded,
there was no place to hide where the
Indians would not spy us directly. /
was looking about me when / caught a
glimpse of black bear running round
a rocky spur about half way up the
hill followed just in time to see her
go tumbling or climbing down sort of
cash in the earth, and which knew
must be her den. Without stopping /
jumped after her and found myself in a
little cave, about ten by ten feet, but
with another larger one leading away
toward the center of the hill. The bear
began to growl when she saw me. and
l saw, when my eyes got accustomed to
the dim light, that she had two cubs in
the den with her which she was going
to defend. So, aiming as carefully as /
could, fred at her, breaking her skull,
after which killed the two cubs and
transferred my party to the cave. The
last of the cold meat and bread was
then eaten, and the women and chill
dren, creeping into the larger division
which was, however, only about four
feet in height-went to rest. But l
was too anxious TO sleep, tired as 1
was, so hoisted myself out of the
cavern and climbed to the top of the
hills to see if l could see aught of the
Indians.
Several times it seemed to me that
saw band moving along the line of
the horizon, and, while the specks
| might have been cattle, / thought it
best to stay where we were all that
day, that night, and the next day. Our
great trouble was water, which had to
be brought from spring on the other
side of the hill, and as only small
quantity could be brought at a time
my cap being the only vessel we had
the children especially suffered good
deal. At last one of the women dis
covered a fat rock with hollow dip in
the middle, which would hold about
two quarts or so, and kept this filed
as cistern. ventured that night to
roast piece of the bear in hole in
the ground, which change of diet was
welcome one. / never passed such
time since l was born, for dare not
sleep an hour for fear of surprise, and
the weight of responsibility felt with
those poor, helpless creatures on my
hands was simply awful.
Late on the second day, when I
climbed the hill for last look, saw a
small band of Indians not more than
an eighth of mile away. They did
not number more than seven, but were
armed and in full war dress, and were
heading straight for the hill Dropping
on my all tours ran as fast as l could
for the mouth of the cavern, and
scram bling down soon had the women
and children crouched up in the far
end of the larger division, where no
shot fred into the smaller one could
reach them, though hoped the Indians
would either pass by altogether OF fail
to find us if they halted. Silence then
was absolutely necessary, and the
women impressed this on the children.
then went back, and. by clinging to
one of the bushes across the entrance
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