The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-25
AN INDIAN DUEL.

A Stratagem That Soon Disposed of One
of the Comhatants.
The following story was told to the writer
by man who bad spent Il number of years
in the Northwest during the Indian trou-
bles. Here are his own words:
g was young and foolish when / first
planted my foot west of the Mississippi.
Otherwise would not have witnessed what
has always seemed to me remarkable fight.
A number OF pr0spectors were in Camp on
some level ground, near stream, to the
south of the Black Hills country,
There were some sick among us. and
/, with few older men, was lett on guard
while our force went out on a hunting eXpe
ditiOn. 1t was SO long since we had seen
Indians that all fear of them had vanished
from my mind. Toward the noon OF n hot
summer day / took my rifle and started for
a small hill about two miles away. Reach
ing il, l went GOWN the other side and made
for piece If wooded ground some little dis
lance away. Passing through the trees. L
came to an open space on which the grass
was quite deep-deep enough to come mn To
q mans shoulder. In the middle of the field
there was a very high tree in full leaf.
Il determined to climb this tree, judging
that the view of the country would be pIncI
extended. Plunging into the grass, made
my way to the middle of the field gained
the tree, and was soon climbing TO its ton
most bouglr. The wind played gratefully
through the leaves, welcome change from
the atmosphere OF exertion that had left
behind me. The grass waved in rhythmic
motion, like the ripples of a lake. While
/ was gazing over the broad, fiat prairie.
| was astOuuded to see horseman
approaching me from the northward.. He
was an eighth of mile away when dscoy-
cred him. Perhaps l knew him by his
dress; perhaps the quick instinct of danger
told me that he was an Indian. Hastily
gripping my rifle awaited an attack. When
my enemy was within 200 yards, of me he
slipped from his horse and dropped on all
fours in the tall grass. There lie rem aimed
motionless. I.turned my head away for a
moment to look toward the south; hoped
to see friends approaching, although | had
no reason to expect them. Instantly nv
eyes were riveted on the form of a second
Indian, who was duplicating the action of
the first one. lie, too, had dismounted
from horse and was crouching in the
grass. 1t now dawned upon ME that the
base of my tree was the objective point of
these men.
81 watched them with breathless eager.
ness, although they gave no sign of my
presence. Suddenly there was a rifle-snot.
The smoke came from the south. The
owner had discharged his weapon by ACCT
dent, evidently. l thought he had shot
himself, his gun was lying at arms length
in front Of him and he was stretched in the
q
I" The Indian to The north now wrggled
toward the fallen man like q snake. He
came within few feet of him. He reached
for the empty rifle. Instantly there was a
binding flash. The Indian from the north
fell to rise no more. The other fighter stood
up and slowly united lariat from his left
ankle. He took possession of the dead
mans weapons and turned back toward his
own horse.
"1he shooting was done SO quickly that
1t took me some time to understand the
stratagem. The victor had discharged the
first fire, apparently by accident to discon-
cert his foe. He was trailing a second gun
behind him, tied to his ankle with thong.
The man from the north was thrown a
little off his guard by the unexpected first
shot. He came up quickly in order that his
enemy might not nave tune to reload. He
came TOO close aud the hidden weapon of
his enemy was brought into instant play.
The survivor rode along the edge OF the
wood to the north. There he captured his