The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-06-23
A CLOSE CALL.
Sketches of PrOspectOr's Ex-
perience in Arizona.

Since 1875 the st. Carlos Reser-
walton is supposed to contain all of
the Apache tribes of Indians of the
ella River country Ga tributary of
the Colorado River). United States
troops persuaded the Apaches to
stay by the Reservation as much
as possible. The writer has reason
to remember that on one occasion
they did not all stay home. Hav-
ing been one Of the first of the
eighteen prospectors who opened
up the mining country traversed
by Apache Creek. During the
first three weeks all of us reported
at the head camp every night; but
as time rolled on and no Indians
to trouble us, we extended our re-
searches for the hidden treasure,
and if a member of the camp stayed
out all night there was no kick
coming. One day in following up
ledge the gold vein extended to a
mountain peak about five miles
from the main camp, | was all of
a sudden confronted by commit
tee of three Apaches, armed with
Remington rifles. One of the red
men was stout and chunky, the
other two thinly visaged and looked
as sharp rs razor. In an
instant | was covered by two rifles.
Having no other weapon than a
prospecting pick / was determined
to make good use of it at close
quarters. stood motionless, how
ever, looking brave as possible,
knowing that they torture to death
any victim showing cowardice.
The fat man of the three advanced
and said, in Spanish: "Who are
you and what are you" Forum
ately for my scalp, | knew enough
Spanish to say miner" or rock
man, as they term the
prospectors. He then spoke
in their own language to the other
two, who by the way, had me COW
cred all this time. After a few min
utes suspense, was told to go; an
order which | was not slow to obey,
thinking, however, that the chief
told his worriors to take shot at
my back, at long range. l per-
spired freely. It turned out after
wards that they did not wish the
report of rifles to be heard, as the
time was not yet ripe for them to
raid our main camp. What they
wanted was ammunition, guns and
horses to equip other Indians at
the reservation, enabling them to
go on the warpath. Cartridges were
selling for one dollar each at
settlement further down the ella.
When | got back to our head
) camp, a messenger was sent to
bring all of our boys together, and
according to my directions that
night surrounded the Apaches.
Committees of three closed in,
only to find that they had
vamoosed. Their temporary
camp was found, the fire
yet hot, half of a deer and newly
killed steer hanging alongside they
no doubt went back to the st. Car
los reservation. Meeting with me
rather thwarted their plans; they
had been spying us out from the
mountains, and would have taken
us all to our last account but for
the accidental meeting. The APP
ache mutilates after scalping and
killing. He does all of his fight
ing by strategy, are hardy devils
and can outrun a cavalry horse.
Chief Victoria and his warriors
killed five hundred white men be-
fore they were taken by Mexican
troops in the Sierra Madra noun
tains in 1879. Geronimo, a famous
Apache chief, was the successor of
Victoria. The number of atrocities
ordered and committed by Geron-
imo are yet fresh in the minds OF
the present generation. General
Miles showed himself to be some
body when he raked in this red
handed murderer of women and
children. Geronimo and the re.
manning warriors of his band are
now on the road to the happy
hunting grounds, via Tennessee
The poor prospectors opened uI
what has since proved to be s
great mining center as we'll az
supporting numberless herds o
cattle. TRAVELLER.
Honolulu, June, 1892.