Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-10-19
INDIAN STRATAGEM.
HOW GERONIMO FOOLED A SQUAD OF
UNCLE SANS CAvALRYMEN.

"A banu OF ApacheS BurrOWed Into the
clustering Sand and Lay in Wait Until
the Soldiers Came Up-They Are the
Only Indians That Can Do 1t.
l saw Geronimo and q dozen of his
Apaches do something in Arizona in
1887 which never would have believed
possible had not witnessed it with my
own eyes.
The Apaches are unquestionably the
most dreaded tribe of Indians on the
continent. They are tougher, more en-
during and more unconquerable than
any other of their race. An Apache can
lope up the side of Il mountain with the
thermometer marking 100 degs., and
when he reaches the top he won't show
drop of extra perspiration, nor will he
breathe whit faster than when he
started.
He will go for days without morsel
of food or a drop of water; he will live
on snakes, mice and refuse, or, if the
worst comes to the worst, will shoot his
horse and eat what he wants of him raw.
Set out to pursue band of Apache raid
ers, and if they are hard pressed they
will separate, each for himself, SO that
the only way to keep up the pursuit is
to follow them individually, in which
case the Apache is sure to have the best
end of the contract. When the hunt is
over the dusky miscreants will come to-
gether at some point twenty or thirty or
more miles away.
There were twenty-five of us cavalry
men returning from one of our fruitless
pursuits # the terrible Geronimo. Our
horses were worn out, and SO were we.
It was one of the hottest days l have
ever known in that throbbing furnace
of country. We had several miles of
baked alkali plain still to traverse before
reaching the fort, where we could secure
shade and water, and what we needed
most of all-rest.
Whew! but it was hot! Had not the
air been perfectly dry neither man nor
beast could have stood it. The metal
work on our guns was so heated that no
one could bear to touch it with the
naked hand. The air -shimmered and
throbbed as it does over a newly plowed
field at noontide of ii summer day.
North, east, south and west was one
level stretch of plain, on which not a
tree, shrub or even blade Of grass grew.
Far to the westward could be seen the
outlines of the fort, oddly distorted
through the quivering atmosphere, but
in every other direction was the naked,
burning desert.
We were strung along for a distance of
several hundred yards. In fact there was
squad of five horsemen much farther
than that in the rear. All the animals
were plodding slowly through the sand,
which it seemed to me was hot enough
to roast eggs, their heads dropping,
while we were simply enduring it, grim
ly closing our teeth, holding out to reach
the post.
Was there anything to be apprehended
from Geronimo2 Could we old cam
paigners be entrapped? Low, level sands
ON every hand. Well, right there in the
midst of that flaming plain, with its
horrible sandy waste, in which no spear
of grass could find root, that frightful
chieftain and his Apaches ambuscaded
us. 1t sounds incredible, but it is fact.
Suddenly l heard rife firing at the
rear. It had dull, odd sound, but it
was close at hand, and as turned in
the saddle saw that the squad farthest
away were engaged in desperate fight
with party of Indians, who were on
foot, shooting, striking and darting
L; ~
We instantly wheeled and hurried
back as fast as we could to the help of
our comrades, but before we could reach
them three saddles were emptied, and
Geronimo and his warriors were scurry-
ing across the plain at a greater speed
than any to which we could force our
exhausted ponies, who sank to their fet-
locks at every step. We gave them a
parting volley, which wounded several,
but they managed to limp off with the
help of others, and all We're soon beyond
danger. | don't know how far they
Travelled off over that burning desola-
ton, but it may have been many miles,
for they were capable of doing it if they
chose.
These Apaches must have discovered
our approach while we were good way
off. Knowing we were on our return to
the post they could easily calculate
where we would pass. Then they bur-
rowed in the sand, covering themselves
entirely with the blistering particles, SO
that only their snakelike eyes peered
forth. Thus we passed within a few
rods of them without suspecting their
presence.
In conversation with General Crook
about the extraordinary incident, that
old campaigner smiled and replied:
u am not surprised. haveseen them
do the same thing myself, but the
Apache is the only Indian that can do
it. Chicago Mail.