The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-24

0aQ CONC 10 1OIcS9Ouo CUHClUSfOus al
aman of few words Those Indians may b.
friendly and they may not be. If they arr
friendly I'll see you back at the station
and if not I'll get the details of the butch
cry in the daily papers"
Then he mounted the animal and was il
the act of riding away when another gang
of Apaches were discovered coming from
the opposite direction from the first. Thi:
gave matters another aspect to the man OF
the horse, and be turned about and dis
mounted l could see that he was disap
pointed about something, though he sale
nothing.
thought It strange at the time that two
separate gangs of Apaches should happier
to meet at that particular spot; but my
acquaintance with them since has given
me reasons to believe that the meeting was
not altogether accidental on their part
We held hurried consultation to decide
whether we should meet them as friendly
| or "hostile" Indians.
The Optic man remarked that If he had
his way about it he would rather not meet
| them at all, but as we could not avoid it
he was in favor of showing fight from the
| first.
| Another member of the party said he
| was afraid that would not do. They might
be friendly" and any attack on them in
that case would result in our mourning the
displeasure of the United States govern
ment.
The Optic man replied that such might
be the case, and while he was good friend
of the United States, and would hate to
seem unreasonable, yet he would rather in
cur the displeasure of his best friend than
to be robbed and burnt at the stake. That
was the way he looked at tive could do
as we pleaSed-but he was unanimously in
favor of opening the meeting with Win
cheste chorus by the entire company. But
we decided to wait developments. It is a
hard matter to tell friendly" Indian
from hostile one. The only sure test is
to wait and see how they act. If they pass
you without showing fight, and then come
back in the night and steal your horses,
they are friendly, but if they kill and scalp
you they are hostile"
This may seem like a severe test, but it
Is what the government requires. and every
body should obey the government.
The two lines of approaching Indians
halted just out Of rifle range, and q solitary
warrior rode out from one of their lines
and came in the direction of our camp.
He made signal for some of us to come
out from our wagons, and slipping re-
yolver in my boot leg, | advanced to meet
him.
"Howl' he said, as came up in speak
ing distance.
I'm not feeling very well this morning.
l answered. I'm little homesick. I
guess. Pleasant weather we're having"
He ignored this speech, and drew himself
to his full height.
"Nie mighty chief, Geronimol' he ex-
claimed, slapping himself on the breast.
was about to tell him that was good,
and to rake in the ante, when / remem-
befed / might need my scalp If | ever got
back to civilization, 50 | said
"Glad TO see yod, Mf Gefohimo-havs
read of you in the st. Louis papers Hope
you are we'll"
"Aie want heap to eat" he exclaimed.
"All right" / answered Just come Hb
TO eur eamp=we'il have breakfast ready
presently"
As turned and looked IA the direction
Of ctr camp saw that the ether line OF
Abaehes had sheaked uR 10 our wagons
while Off attention had been Hxed OH the
ehisf Indians are very cunning, lie sighi=
tied his warriors TO follow, aud we were all
soon back at the camp,
There were about ninety Of them, and
'hey all stayed for breakfast, aud con
sumed enough provisions to have done our
party two months, Then the chief wiped
his mouth and said'
WANT um horses"
We told him that we needed our horses
and did not intend to give them up.
XIII Um thenl' he exclaimed, drawing
long knife aud flourishing it in the air, and
his actions We're followed by the other
dghty-nine warriors.
We didn't want to be killed-that is, the
majority of us didn't, and we told him to
take tie horses along. ! had become very
much attached to our horses, but | was also
very much attached to my scalp-that is,
IL was very much attached to me, and |
knew it was Of mo value if detached 4"
so | kept silent After they had helped
themselves to our horses the chief APP
preached me and said:
Gimme um watch"
| gave him my watch without further
parley. j didn't want TO hear those words
kill UNI" again if | could help it,
He next asked for my coat and a pair of
red suspenders | had on-in fact he asked
for everything he saw with childlike con-
fdence that was touching to behold. II
was very fortunate he met us when he did,
for he seemed to be out Of everything that
was necessary to make his life happy.
After he had taken everything we had that
he could carry away he still seemed dissat-
isfied. and went through our boxes again.
smelling Of the vinegar and the pepper
sauce bottles in a vague sort of way.
Then he called his braves around him
and rode away When the Indians were
few rods away Kistler. of The Optic, turned
to us and said:
Are those friendly Indians9"
Yes" answered the man who had advo
Gated peace policy; they are evidently
actions 10 the Indian agent
Just then. before we could prevent II.
kistler. who had grabbed gun from one
of the wagons, sent bullet into the ranks |
OF the Apaches.
In a moment the widest excitement pre-
vailed, and with a series of savage wells |
they whipped up their ponies till ont Of /
range. and then wheeled about and began |
circling around US, yelling and firing as |
they rode
1t was fortunate for rs that the most Of |
our arms and ammunition, being concealed |
IN the hay in our wagons had escaped be- |
ing found by the Indians or we would have |
been wholly at their mercy. There was |
nothing left for US TO do but fight, now /
that it was commenced. and 6 moment !
later every gun and pistol belonging to our /
party was brought forward and put into /
service, and telling fire was poured into 1
them as they swept past US
kistler, armed with a double barre1ed I
: h,N<s 49, =