The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-25
FELL INTO A DEEP PIT.

Capt. Villagran kept the trail of the desert
ers. and after q march OF some nine hum
dred miles finally overlook them in south
ern chihuahua. Mexico: They made . des,
by the officers, and two escaped. villagran
loft his little posse there and retraeed his
dangerous 800 miles alone. Arriving at the
pueblo of Puaray. on the west bank of the
Rio Grande, opposite Bernsliilo. he learned
that his commander Onate had marched
westward, bound for Moaui. IVillaRrsn at
once started alone to follow his country
men. The trail was easily followed, for the
spaniards had the only horses within what
ID o United States; bat the lonely travel
or was bsset with endless danger and hard
ship. He came in sight of Acoma just too
late to witness the massacre Of Juan do
Zaldivar, and the fearful fall Of the i've
Spaniards. The survivors had already left
the fatal spot; and when the natives saw q
solitary Spaniard approaching they des-
oendsd from their rock citadel to surround
and STAY him. VillaRran had NO frearms-
nothing but his sword. dagger and buokler.
Although he had no idea of the dreadful
suspicious of the manner in which the
Indians were hemming him in; and
though his horse was gaunt from its enor-
nous journey. he sputred it to a gallant ef-
fort and fought his way through the closing
circle. He kept up his flight we'll into the
N4RuS, "2Aluk q AOuK ClICu1t 10 hVOlU COm-
ing too near the treaoherous town. and at
last got down exhausted from his exhausted
horse and laid himself to rest upon the
bare earth. When he awoke it was showing
hard and he was half covered with the GOLD,
white blanket. ~RsmountinR, he pushed on
in the darkness to get as far from Acoma as
possible ere daylight should bstray him.
a deep pit which the Indians
had dug for a trap and covered
with brush and earth. The fall killed the
poor horse. and V~illagran was stunned and
badly hurt. At last he managed to scram-
BILE out of the pit. to tho great JOY of the
ing at the edge. The soldier poet speaks
most touchingiy of his dumb companion Of
his long and p~erilous journey. and evidently
loved it with the earnestness which only q
brave man can give and q faithful dog
merits.
lost this way in that trackless wilderness.
For four days and four nights he wandered
without u morsel of food or a drop of water
for the now had already disappeared.
Many a maj has tasted longer under equal
hardships; but hunger is one thing. Only
those who have tasted the thirst of the arid
lands can form the remotest conception Of
the meaning OF ninety-si1 hours without
water. Two days of that thirst is often
fatal to strong men. and that Villaeran en-
dured four proves his wonderful vitality.
At last. fairly dying Of thirst, he was re-
duced TO the sad necessity of killing his dog
which he did with tears of manly remorse.
Calling the brute to him he despatched it
with his sword and ravenously drank the
warm blood. This gave him strength to
stacger on a little farther. and Just az ne
was sinking to the sand to die he spied a
little hollow in \ large rock ahead. Crawl
ing feebly to it he found that a little snow
water remained in the cavity. About were
a few grains of corn, which seemed a god
send. and he devoured them Rreedily. He
had now given up all hope of overtakinp
his commander. and decided to try to walk
that grim 200 miles back to san Gabriel.
But he was too far gone for the body
longer to obey the heroic soul, and would
have persisted miserably there ty the litsls
rock tank but for . strange chance.
As he lay there faint and helpless, he
suddenly heard voices. He concluded that
the Indians had trailed him, and gave him
self up for lost-for he was too weak now
to hRht. But at last his ear caught the no
cent of Spain; and though it was spoken by
hoalse. rough soldiers. you may be sue it
WAS TO him the sweetest sound in all the
world. 1t had CHANGED the night before
that some of the horses of Onate's cAmp
strayed away. and . small squad of sol-
dlers was sent out to catch them. in
trailing the runaways they came in
sight Of Capt. Villsgians Luckily they saw