The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-11-04
AFIGHT WITHCACTUS
a RISKY STORY OF A WESTERN MIS-
ADVENTURE AT NIGHT.

a LudIcrous Adventure OF a Party Hunt
ing Indians in estern Mexico.
The Bravery of n Leader Brought Rid
icule Upon Himself.
Halt! What's that@:' said our leader
in a sharp whisper.
1t was a clear moonlight night in the
extreme southwest of Mexico.
was visiting a friend who conducted
a large ranch and hacienda there.
A local revolt had just been quelled in
the ncighborhOOd and a spirit of lawless-
ness still pervaded the atmosphere. Only
the night before my friend had been
fired upon and of his ~storehouses
robbed by a band Of Indians some fifteen
or twenty strong. Early in the morning
four of Us, under the leadership of our
host, had set ont upon the track of the
robbers.
We We're we'll mounted, and resting
only a few hours at coon had followed
hard after them till nearly midnight. If
we met them in a fair field we could
drive them into quarters like COWS to a
pen, but we had no mind to run into a
trap i'll the dark with five against ff-
teen; hence caution.
Halt! What's that our leader had
whispered. We had come to the edge
of a dense woods, and across an open
space, upon the brow of a low sand hill,
clearly outlined i'll the moonlight against
the sky, we had discovered a dozen or
more half naked fellows. with their
arms extended in every direction, en-
gagged III some sort Of a weird, fantastic
dance.
We could not see their legs, for the
tops of the trees beyond the hill rose
waist high, making a black background,
but their arms moved slowly to and fro
and we could easily imagine their legs
keeping company.
''ThOse are the thieves!' our host NUT
tered. L know them, even at night
You fellows just come to the edge of tht
wood, where they can see you without
knowing how many there are Of you,
and I'll have them down here III no
time
He rode out alone to the foot OF the
Hill.
1t required no little courage, and we
watched him with proportionate admira-
ton.
The figures did not cease their dance
or notice him. Suddenly, with his rife
at his shoulder. he called to them: y
have you there! If one of You move,
I'll shoot him dead"
The wind had been blowing through
the trees, so that we could not have
heard their response, but fortunately at
that moment it ceased, and in the deep
silence which settled down upon the
forest in such a mOmentary lull we
waited for the result.
Every Indian suddenly ceased his
dancing and stood like a statue outlined
against the sky.
Come down here now" shouted OIL
host. Come quietly, too, for the first
man who makes'any trouble drops dead"
WeCOuld hear a sound, as of a hurried
consultation of some sort. going Oh upon
the hill for Il moment, but Ii wind
sprung up again before we could di-
tinguish a single voice, and to our utter
astonishment the fellows actually began
their solemn dance again.
Come down or III shoot!' roared our
host. but they kept on dancing and he
did shoot.
Then there was cOmmotion enough.
A wild cry, followed by a cloud of dust.
rose from the brow of the hill.
Fire" yelled our host, and we re-
| spOrded with a we'll aimed volley, while
he whipped out his heavy revolver and
gave them another peppering.
There was a perfect bedlam of screams
from the hill, and the dust hid every
thing from view. They were either COM
ing down upon us i'll an unexpected
horde or running for their lives.
For Us it was either fly or follow. We
waited ~irresolutely for the word of our
leader, when the dust settled and there
stood the Indians, silently going on with
their fantastic dance as though we We're
a hundred miles away.
With a fierce ejaculation our host put
spurs to his horse and dashed up the
hill. We followed, without command
to find him upon the summit, sitting Oh.
the ground beneath a line of gaunt and
ghostlike p1ickly pears-the ungainly
cactuS of Mexico.
They extended along the brow of the
hill. their naked. skeleton branches
spreading ont in every unaccountable
way and swaying solemnly in the breeze.
Among the roots a multitude of bur
rows in the dry dust showed where the
sandbirds had been lying, half buried,
and quietly sleeping; and it was thei.
noisy yelp we heard when they were
frightened away by our hosts duel with
the cactus.-Louisville Courier-Journal
Russian Discipline.
During the review of the army recruits
in Wilma the general i'll command, turn
-. - W - tha navy SnldinrS aSEAi