Daily Kennebec journal., 1891-08-18


table. Mountains were seen in the dis
tanee, which were inhabited by Indians.
But my little command and a few rat
tlesnakes and tarantulas were the only
living things near.
Dinner is ready, lieutenant" was the
welcome summons with which my cook
greeted me, and | was soon doing full
justice to an army field dinner of bean
soup and ''slapjacks."
Twas in the midst of this savory repast
when | noticed stranger approaching
me- He was a well built, powerful look
ing man, about forty years of age; his
face was intellectual and extremely
handsome, he wore u full beard and
mustache, both of which were iron gray.
He was coarsely clad and carried no
weapon. This latter circumstance was
the most remarkable thing of all, for in
those days in Arizona one scarcely moved
without his arms.
Nearing me he asked, in u pleasant.
quiet manner, if were the commanding
officer.
replied that | was.
Il came to see if you could lend me a
pistol or carbine for few days" he
said
you don't mean to tell Inc that you
are entirely without arms:' said, not
unreasonably astonished.
YES; have nothing of the kind" he
answered. II have been annoyed for
the past three months by those Internal
California lions, and if had shooting
iron might kill some of them
Are you camping near here% asked.
ii live just round the bend of the
river. Will you walk down with me!"
Little dreaming | was so near a resi-
dence, eagerly accepted his invitation,
and filling my pipe. and leaving the SER
geant in charge of Camp, started forth
with my new acquaintance. AS we
made the turn in the river | saw a large,
shelving rock rising from the level prai-
rie. 1t was not more than hundred
yards from the rivers bank, and was re-
ally quite imposing in its dimensions.
1t struck me as so peculiar, so entirely
out of place, that expressed my surprise
to my companion.
YES he answered; II fancy it is a
meteorite. lam under great obligations
/ to it, whatever it is and however it came
here, for it has protected me for months.
That rock is my house"
Greatly astonished, asked if he lived
there quite alone.
"Oh, no." he replied. My wife and
mother live with me-"
| By this time we had reached the nat
ural dwelling. AT what might be termed
its opening the rock was ten feet or
more from the ground, and it sheltered
a space about twenty feet in breath,
gradually sloping backward and down
ward. As l stepped under the protect
ing roof | saw two women sitting at
| work.
My host presented me to his mother
and wife respectively, and | saw at a
glance that they were Mexicans; not of
| the class, however, known as greasers,
| but representatives of q much higher
grade. Like most Mexicans. they were
| disinclined to converse in any language
but their own; but when they learned
that my knowledge of their tongue was
too slight to enable fne to understand
them, they overcame their reluctance
and we chatted quite pleasantly.
learned that they had been living
there for three months. They came
with the intention of farming, and later
proposed erecting suitable dwelling.
The Indians had not molested them
but they were worried by the lions
which came by twos and threes nightly
to the opening of their habitation, and,
there howled till daylight, when they re-
turned to the mountain.
They told me it was necessary for one
| of them to be up all night to keep the
| fire burning, which was their only pro.
lection from these monsters.
Consequently they had taken turns
sitting up nights for the last three
| months
What surprised Inc most was the
| absence of all defensive weapons and
farming implements. Not an article of
the kind was in their possession. saw
one horse grazing near by, and dilapi
dated wagon. Neither shovel, ak nor
pistol was to be seen.
1t was very apparent that the man had
known better days. But in that wild
country inquisitiveness often cost ones
life. To be sure, felt no fear with a
good cavalry company at my back, but
in most cases it was better to be salts
| fed with what was told me and what l
| saw.
| Having listened to graphic descrip-
tion of their far from pleasant neigh
bors, told them frankly that if had a
| pistol or carbine OF my own l would
willingly lend or give them one, but all
the weapons in the command, even those
on my person, belonged to the govern
msUt, and that the orders respecting
sssM were so stringent that was utterly
unable to accommodate them.
81 had pistol when | came here,
| said my host, but lost It crossing the
river. Since then you are the first per-
son that has been this way"
l felt really sorry for them, and also
felt that they might think had given a
very fimsy reason for refusing the loan
| they asked.
That three human beings should be
annoyed night after night by wild beasts
and company of cavalry unable to give
them protection seemed Incredible, yet
| such appeared to be the case
At length happy thought struck me.
81 tell you what will do, said. Il
will send the company in charge of the
sergeant about five miles farther down
the river to encamp, then l will bring
Curiey with me, and we will stay here
tonight with you. Curley is an old
frontiersman, and is acting guide for me.
He is a good shot, and will enjoy the
sport
My proposal was joyfaIly accepted.
and l returned to campt to give the neces-
sary directions. About an hour later
the company moved out, and Curley and
were alone.
What sort of an outfit is that down
thereF said my companion, pointing to
the stone mansion had recently left.
81 cannot tell you," / answered. The
people say they are worried by the lions,
and have told them you and will stay
with them tonight and sample few"
"Sorne escaped jailbird, / suppose, y
said Curley. The country's full Of
them"
Yes I answered, ''the country is
full Of them, but am sure this man ia
no criminal His manner and his an
pearance, barring his clothes, are those