The sun., 1891-05-24
AN EvKyTrUL NOONLNo.
A Tru. story or tho Overland rr.,,.

a True story or the Overland Trail.
Copprtoht 1891, w s. S. UeC1me
"The springs all choked up with etone
Can. and it'll take gool hour to clean II out.
said Tom Grayburn. rs he cnme back to tn
wagons with his empty buckets. Tom mad
this romark In careless kind OF way. ~ II tn
matter was OF no consequence. beyond entail
ing little extra labor; but the words wer
hardly out OF his mouth when tho leader OF tn
expedition. famous overland guide. known
Captain" Bill Somers. spranR to his feet, and
BY significant gesture. sign nalled oil tho mel
10 close In around him.
Then he quietly said: Boys. this Is tn,
thirteenth trip I've mado long this trail ant
it's the fust time sNer seen anythin' wrona
with the spring. Corral the wagons quick as
you kin aud put all the critters inside; bu
don't To- 20 yer rifles fur q mint. Thar's In
iuus bout. sure an they've sot q trap to ketcl
us while we're a-clartn' out tho rubbish to
gtt at the water. Thar's q slew nv 'em hic
somewhars on tho side Nv tho pass now q
watching Nv us. an wen bev tor be mighty
keerful tor save our ha'r It's new dodge tel
mo- but know who done 1t. an what they
done 1t fur. just's wells II I'd seen 'om."
1t was terribly hot day in tho middle o
July. We had already travelled flftecn miles
thnt morning. aud now. about noon, were pro.
pAIlQR 10 T6SI lOT low UOuTS ia u bOTL OI HU-
phitheatro in the Apache Pass. q deep gorge
which cuts through the Chiricnhui Mountains.
and at that time tho only road between the Rio
Grande and Fort Yuma. Our party consisted
OF twenty. i've we'll armed mon. with nm outfit
OF six wagons and a full complement OF horses
and muoe.
When we reaehsd the camping ground In the
vicinity OF q little spring which trickled out
from tiny opening in the rocks. and usually
shed It's water. into a small circular basin. tho
overflow from which at once disappeared In q
. subterrancan crevdce. men and cattle wero
alike suffering from thirst: and. while the lat
ter wero being unhitched. Tom Grayburn had
run of with couple Of buckets to get an i'm.
had found piled into and high abo~e the basin
. hugo cairn of stonos. through which the
precious fluid oozed in such way as to be for
the moment unavailable.
Whether tho lurking savages. II such there
were. might be armed with rifles or merely
with bows and arrows, We did not as yet know:
but We did know that water must be speedily
obtained at whatever risk. and the Captain
made his arrangements accordingly.
Leaving five men inside the hollow square
formed by the wagons. with strict orders to
fire upon any show OF Injun." the remain-
ing twenty. OF whom he was one. divided them
selves into two squads OF ten each. one half
carrying buckets and their own and COM
panions' rifles, and the other one tai-board
and one side-p piece from each OF the wagons
the outer face OF the deiences being left un-
disturbed. The whole party then moved off to
the spring. in q narrower part OF the pass about
200 yards away. and the heavy boards were set
edgewise on tho ground and propped up by
stones.
Behind this barrier quito strong enough to
whore loose boulders and broken rock ap-
peared likely to afford good cover to an
enemy. fifteen OF us lay down. while the other
five went to work on the stones
On the opposite side OF tho ACTIVITY. in
roar OF the fifteen men. but Immediately
above those working at the spring. the sur
face for some distance ench way looked per-
fectly smooth and free from my available
hiding places: hence 1t was not thought
necessary to watch this part OF the gorge ut
all. The mass Of rough stones built up over
the springs basin. and weighing In the aggre-
gate many tons. were by The united exertious
OF the five mon being rapidly pitched of into
the form OF a rude wall behind the recumbent
guards and in front Of themselves and finally
had all been removed except one heavy half.
round boulder which fitted closely into the
basin itself. 80 closely that when our fellows
stopped around 1t for simultaneous lift they
found sSant f., foom for the insertion OF their I'M
Capt somers was one Of our quintet. and
whom each man had got good hold he called
the great stone slowly rose almost high enough
hands let 20, ana it slipped back with loud
splash; for at this, critical moment. when the
@ y
hnsd s6s air 6ro the
Nanrlv III had his ClOthInD ptaroad
none seriously hurt. and the missiles had
River. Boys KiVer K He 1nsansIy ed tSe ,sen
men behind the boards faced about and rolled
opportuney formed vail and the i've ,sr seram CT
bled over It to the same side in decided y un- |
through. the chinks Of its Jagged top. expecting
70 see band OF warriors on the siope above. |
S ann 6 s
before. and even the veteran guido was ppz- |
Eled. though only for space suiI Gent TO enable
Then he chHcEied softly, and SAID: '!fBsys. boys.
Jest look keerlully at that black streak. bout !
in 1t, n-laughin' at u.s.. But we must hev water. |
Tsns with Whs % reskin M lives me ter
rout o. out % the RED de Wis, seoin, as how they've
with your riiles. an ef a topknot bobs up put
5a tbss az mo Sravn an four mUre Es
fihs low wRli., aud. lending over the
put. even ns /. rolled over another half
hunirod arrows whisilei through our smelling
E.anks;;.and this time; from the side whencewe
lately kept no wntclI., Tho savnEes had out
wittol us sure enough. 4nd now had US be-
tweaE two i!ro5: but the distance was too great
f..r accurate bow :actice. and neit thor by this
ilE,ush takon comnletely by, surprise, cool!y
hMilsd ny their III busSSts and brought them in.
watched tbo,h siIes Of the pass. Then the
N rather comcal a. this time. boys. but
thoy cnnt hurt Us o mite. Is longs thoy das-
Bont show thcirseve, TOR shoot, an they know |
: blamed sight too much ter charge on us,
reckin. Won lost Ill the emnty buckets agin, |
A. ;ns @ same ilye on us'll tote tho nun ton ter
cr,tturs sup ali round, an' cum back iur
more: M but don'tyyou lot nary rcd sit chance
!. Never yon fear: Cap" replied Abe WI:
one OF the skunks shove halfinch Of his hide
lM"-and quick as lightning he threw his
rifle up and fired for lust then u warrior. more
curious than wise. had thrust his painted vis-