Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-09

214uub68 We SAW n1X eQuaQ or mounted warriors loom up over the crest of the rise and ride swiftly down in direct line for the band at the head of the cou- lee. The united forces being then only thousand yards away. we were able to approximately estimate their numbers. which most of us placed at three hun dred, but the captain at two hundred and sixty-a sufficiently alarming dis parity, though the true significance of this would depend good deal upon how the savages were armed. If with bows and arrows. tomahawks and knives only, we had not so much to fear; but if with rifles also, the coming fight might prove 8 long and desperate one, and the result extremely doubtful ...-
 ''The enemy seemed now to be hold ing an earnest, though by no means har- monious, consultation, evidently debat- ing as to the expediency of an imme- diate attack. Two or three times an ex- cited group of warriors broke of from the main body, and, setting up the war whoop, dashed for little way toward i us, only to turn back again when they found their companions did not follow Them young bucks,' said Captain Bur rows, is red hot fur a fight, an they'll bring the hull caboodle round ter ther way uv thinkin in no time Thar's too many scalps an too much plunder in this ere outfit fur sich big crowd ter give up till pile uv 'em's wiped out. They're bout ten ter one now. an jest's likely ez not thar's more a-comin. But we're all right s'long's they don't git inter the corral, an when they do-wal, thar won't be nobody left ter kill then, only the two babies, an they'd likely carry them off alive.
 "At this plain intimation of what was expected of them, rather than let their wives fall into the hands of the brutal Apaches, the married men turned pale, and a thrill of shuddering horror ran through our ranks; but a moment later the brave Anglo-Saxon spirit reasserted itself, and a bold, defiant cheer rang out, stunning the astonished savages into watchful quiet Soon we noted movement on their part which seemed to indicate that all differences had been arranged and definite plan of action agreed upon. Three warriors, appar- ently chiefs, rode out from the crowd, one straight ahead and the others di- verging to the right and left, until all were about two hundred yards in ad- vance and at the same distance from one another. Then they halted, and to each leaders support rallied a separate band of followers, who, deploying on either side of these pivotal points as they came up, finally brought themselves into touch with the next detachment, until the three formed one continuous single line about six hundred yards long.
 "Our guide, after closely scanning these maneuvers through his glass, in- formed us that at least one-fourth of the enemy carried guns of some kind, wheth- CT rifles or smoothbores he could not say; and, as they thus more than equaled us in total number of firearms, we awaited their next move with some little anxie- ty. We were not long kept in suspense, for, on a signal given by the central chief, the whole horde dashed forward and, yelling like fends let loose. bore straight down upon us We had expect ed them to follow the usual Indian tactics of sweeping around and around us in wide circles, but instead of doing this they charged upon three sides of the square only, leaving that one facing the pass entirely free, as if they actually hoped to scare us into attempting to es- cape by that way.
 "To an unconcerned spectator, the sight which the plain at this time pre- sented would have been a most interest ing one, as these superb horsemen, gro tesQuely painted and feather bedecked and ever shouting their frightful. war whoop. lay fat on the backs or -clung closely to the sides of their plunging aim distracting mustangs, as if each man were part of the animal itself But we were not quite in the mood to ad- mire even so realistic 8 wild west show. knowing that the actors in the drama were the most ruthless. blood thirsty and superlatively cruel savages on the American continent, and burning to exact, as the price of it's enjoyment, no less fee than that of our lives and fortunes.
 "As the howling reds came on, faster and faster, we naturally turned to our captain for guidance. and declare the man looked as composed and fearless as if merely engaged in some pleasant pas time. Nay. more; his rugged old face actually broke into smiles as the joy of battle lighted up his deep gray eyes, and in strangely soft and quiet tones he said: Don't fire at all, boys, till the var hints comes ez clost ez they will come that'n be bout eighty yards this time, l reckon; then shoot ter kill. When you can't see no Injun dror a bead on the cayuses, an don't throw nary shot away. Mebbee they'll make off on the fust round with ther killed an wounded mebbee they'll jest dror our fire an then come on agin, hopin ter ketch us with empty bar'ls. So you nine fellers that hez revolvers post yerselves, three on each front, an ef they make rush, keeI on shootin stiddy stream till we gil fresh loads in, an you kin git yer irons , all right agin while we're a-frin. Ei ' we kin stand 'em of half dozen times an knock over 8 good slew of 'em they'll never dar ter bother us agin on the hcft trip -ss.a s-.tas5 .--ta=..