Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-12-11
sPRIETING WARRIORS.
From the Chicago Herald.

! fAShi tut AhAtuEo ltttulu.
One of the problems of the soldier in
the west is to overtake the Indian
when that fellow wants to get away.
Leta band Of Indians commita depre-
Gation and start to run, and it is one Of
the greatest Of difficulties to catch
them. No one who remembers the ac-
counts OF the Geronimo band can for
get the trials OF the army men who
were sent to capture and punish the
redskins. Once they had reached the
mountains it was almost impossible
to yet near them. They not only
knew the land thoroughly, but they
could run so rapidly that you might
have them safely located in one place,
bring your detachment up, only to find
they had gone, bag and baggage,
hours and hours before. Ona straight
chase it Is almost equally impossible to
catch them. Even cavalry is useless
against them. The human, after all,
Is the botter animal, and when an In
dian band ran in the lead Of cavalry
horses the latter lost. Tae only hope
WAS in number that could in uime sur
round and turn the line Of retreat so
often and at such unexpected places
that the Indian would surrender more
from confusiCa than from fear.
1t is no difficult thing for one Of the
mountain Indians to run 100 miles
within ten hours. Couriers have car
ried messages for army offices in that
time very cftcn. a single mile in
three mnuts has been made on a
wager time and again. Upat Hualpi, a
village OF the MoQui Indians OF Ari-
zona, there Sis religious festival
which is introduced by race OF five
miles, in which the winner, on test-
mony that cannot be denied, makes
the distance in twenty minutes,
climbing at the conclusion Of the race
a slipping height OF over 100 feet.
So proud arc the Indians Of their
prowcss as the runners that on re-
cent occasion when Commissioner
Morgan OF the Indian Bureau was in
territories looking after his wards, the
Eayaloes brought a runner to the
headquarters of the Government men
and wanted the Seventh Infantry and
Lieut. Piersoa Of die Engineer Corps
slipped away from lthe commissioner
and went down to where the Indians
were camping, Baker said he thought
the Navajo couldn't run They we're
much offencd, and offered to bet he
could oatrun horse.
Baker" said Plerson ''you bet
them l can beat their man"
The Lieutenant of infantry made
the proposition, and the Indians
swiftly gathered up their yaluableand
offered to stake them. They came in
groups and clamored for bet. They
could not get to him quickly enough.
lie covered everything they offered,
even to their ponies. He had about a
peck OF the most beautiful garnets
heaped on blanket before him, and
all the silver girdles they had In camp.
The Indian racer stripped to the skin
and Pierson took off his heavier gar
ments Indians and whites agreed
upon a course, and the runners start
ed. Pierson is a sprinter who could
probably beat any man in the army,
and he ran away from the Navajo.
But the Indians were gsme. They
we're sadly disappointed in their man,
but the bets they never gave second
thought Thearmy men rounded up
their herd Of ponies, loaded bugro
with belts and yaluables, hired a boy
to carry the lighter winnings and
started away. The Indians broke
camp and got ready to leave. AS soon
as the two Licutonants had shown
their plunder to the other officers they
sent for the losers and gave everything
back. 1t was quite a difficult matter
fof them to explain to the Indians
that an army officer could not gamble
with Indians, and certainly could not
Justly win from them. But so game
Vtaro tho lnffcr that they did not