Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-10
INDIAN STRATAGEM.
HOW eeRoN,aao FoolEDAsouAD Of
UNCLE Saws cAvAlRYaEM

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UNCLE sAAps cAvAlRN1Eh
4 R..a II ApecAss Duszswsa InAe ~
Blisaeriag sa.A ~ Lay h Wais vssal
the soldiers Caas up-xAsy Ar tAs
Only I.Ai..s INST Ca Ds II
l saw Geronimo and . dozen Of his
Apaches do something in Arizona IN
lss, which never would have believed
possible had not witnessed it with my
own eyes.
The Araches are unquestionably the
most dreaded tribe Of Indians on the
continent. They are tougher, more en-
during and more unconquerabie than
any other Of their race. An Apache can
lone up the side Of mountain with the
thermometer marking 40 degs., and
when he reaches the top he won't show
drop Of extra perspiration, nor Will he
breathe a whit faster than when he
started.
He will go for days without . morsel
Of food or drop Of water; he will live
on snakes, mice and refuse, or, II 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
els, 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 fruitiess
pursuits f the terrible Geronimo Our
horses were worn ont, and so were we.
It was one Of the hottest days | have
ever known in that throbbing furnace
of country. We had several miles OF
baked alkali plain still 10 traverse before
reaching the fort, where we could secure
shade and water, and what we needed
most of all-rcst.
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 1t with the
naked hand. The air shlmmered and
throbbed as it does over newly plowed
field at noontide of a summer day.
North, east, south and west was one
level stretch of plain, on which not
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 We're strung along for distance of
several hundred yards. In fact there was
Il 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 Geronimo: 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 ind root, that frlghtful
chieftain and his Apaches ambuscaded
us. 1t sounds incredible, but it is a fact.
Suddenly | heard rife firing at the
rear. 1t had a 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
hither and thither like so many demons.
We instantly wheeled and hurried
bacl, 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-
inc across the plain at greater speed
than any to which we could force our
exhausted ponies. who sank to their fet-