The Red Cloud chief., 1892-09-02

n railroad with the tcrinini respectively
at Ell Altar, on the Rio de Ia Asuncion,
and at the city of Hermosillo, on the
Rio Sonora, of the present Sonora line
1.-THE idea was subsequently abandoned
rs impracticable). by reference to the
map II will be observed hat these
places are some one hundred and thirty
miles apart, and ! was thus obliged to
employ n large corps OF assistants and
devote my personal attention continu-
ally TO the work in order that the sur
vey might be finished upon the date
stipulated in the contract.
had established camps or work sta
tions over the entire distance at about
twenty miles from each other, and II
was my custom to make d journey OF
inspection to these stations once every
fortnight. As the work progressed i
found 1t necessary to increase these
visits and l was obliged 20 spend all Of
my time in passing back aud forth over
the line.
This was, of course, tiresomc and
monotonous, but the work in itself was
not difficult, as the tiara tempidda is I'M
usually free from natural distractions.
The only really Objectionable feature
was the presence of II large number of
native indians and Mexican half-oreeds.
who seemed to regard us intuitivcly as
worthy Of nothing better than the most
hearty contempt ard as the source of
continual apprehension.
II was evident that they considered
us as trespassers, and l was aware that
most of our movements were slyly
watched by them, and they became ia
miliar with the course OF our work and
appeared to avoid us us If in fear.
For n time l was inclined to view
them askance, for / knew the aborig-
inal characteristics Of cunning and
treachcry. AS time wore on, however,
] came to look upon them differently,
and considered that they had become
~reconciled, as it were, to our presence
and that we need fear no outbreaks
n them rs long as they were not
~lcstcd. / was mistaken, as the in
cident which ! ain about to relate will
demonstrate.
Along in the latter part Of Septem-
Der, near the completion of the survey,
in fact 1t was the very last trip | made
over tnc SoutueTu GlNlSlpu OF inc line.
had been To Iiermosillo for implc-
ments and supplies, and had occasion
to run down tn Maytorena, near Haro
on the gulf. While at this latter place
] met an old tar who had formerly
been in my employ and who was do
ing service. on Il m~erchant-man, then
In the docks at Long Bridge. Like
most of his fellows he was, to use the
sailor dialect, ''windcd" financially.
Seeking about for some article. to
offer me as security, and as an induce
ment to advance cash, he hauled from
the hold of the vessel and brought to
me ar old ffty-two inch Columbia ex-
pert. owned n wheel myself, and
while home was in the habit of riding
continually. The thought occurred to
me that l might obtain considerable
pleasure and also physical exercise by
using this one; and so, advancing a
few dollars, l took the machine.
l rccollected that q large portion of
the northern part of the survey lay
over an old mining trail, the surface Of
which was of a claycy composition.
~well-bcaten and resistible; so l re-
solved TO surprise the men some fine
day by riding gracefully into camp on
o bicycle. The idea was certainly