The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-26


though realizing that ali the rest of Us
made him welcome, hitched up his team
and drove on within an hour.
An hour before shutdown O courier came
into camp from Washoe Flats, TO the east q,
and reported another raid by the Indians.
They had killed three prospeotors out from
Washoe. and he himself had barely escaped.
Big Joe heard his statement along with the
rest Of us, but we had nothing to say. /
remember that he sat on a rock. chin Ia his
hand, and his eyes on the ground, and
when the rest Of us went TO supper he still
held his place. Twilight was coming down
when he arose and walked. to his shanty,
and four or five minutes later he reappeared
with his rife in hand. His face had lost
much of its uglinesS by this tune, and we
dared to question him.
"Whar am | goin'l" he echoed, as be
looked to see II the rifle was in order I'm
goin down the trail to find that family and
and bring 'em back here. The fool orter
knowed more than to drive on"
"But you abused him, Jee.n
81 didn't mean it for abuse. Folks hadn't
orter to be too highly sensitive out this
way. You are a nice set OF men to let that
family go drivin' plump into the arms of the
Internal redskins! Why didn't you smooth
it over with the highotrunR tenderfoota
Why didn't you insist on his stayingP
We'll 20 with you, Joe-a dozen OF US"
'No, I'll go alone. II | driv 'em away
I'll also bring 'em back. If hurt his feel
in's I'll ak his pardon"
The emigrants would be camped at the
springs three miles away, and they would
fall an easy prey to the Indians if attacked.
We felt that we ought to go along with Joe
but he insisted on going alone. | believe he
meant to humbly beg pardon for his rude
ness and our company would have embar-
raised him. The night came ON dark and
cloudy, and as matter of precaution we
posted sentinels ebout the camp. Not one
of us slept till past midnight waiting for
Joe to return with the family. 1t was O
plain trail down to the spring, and it
wouldn't take him over three-quarters Of
an hour to reach the comp. Allow half an
hour for hitching up and full hour for re-
turning. and they ought to have been in by
H. We finally concluded that they had de-
cided to await daylight, and those not de-
tailed for guard duty turned in.
In the gray of morning tine camp was
aroused by the report that rifle firing had
been family heard in the direction Of the
spring. AS soon as it was light enough to
pick our way twenty men started out We
looked for signs of Joe or the wagon all the
way down the trail, but found nothing. We
finally reached the spring to find our worst
fears confirmed. The emigrants' horses lay
dead on the grass, their throats cut with In
was now pretty we'll burned up. On the
grass near the smolderirg camp fire lay
the emigrant. his scalp torn off, and half
dozen arrows bristling in his dead
body. Thirty feet away lay his wife, toma-
hawked and scalped. Beside her was the
youngest child, its head crushed by a blow
from a war club. All the bodies were yet
warm. To the south, just at the edge Of
thicket and at the foot of lone tree, we
found Big Joe and the other two children.
When the attack came, or when he realized
that successful resistance conld not be made,
the miner had tried to save the little ones.
he had been shot and scalped: the poor
children had been tomahawked.
We had gathered about the body OF Big
Joe, horror-stricken at the swift and bloody
butchery, when he suddenly opened his eyes
and we could see his chest heave. Water
was brought and he drank it, and as his
head was propped up he whispered:
Were they all wiped outs"
YES. every one but you
II couldn't git him to 60 back" he
gasped with painful effort, land $3.50 l
styed to die with EN-"
More water was offered him, but as it
touched his lips he fell back dead.