Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-09-01
AFIGHTWITHCACTU
A RISKY STORY OF A WESTERN MIS-
ADVENTURE AT NIGHT.

A Iudicrous Adventure of q Party Hunt
ing Indians in Southwestern Mexico.
The Bravery of a Leader Brought Rid
ieule Upon Himself.
Halt! What's that?' said our leader
In sharp whisper.
1t was a clear moonlight night in the
extreme southwest of Mexico.
was visiting friend who conducted
a large ranch and hacienda there.
A local revolt had just been quelled in
the neighborhood and spirit of lawless-
ness still pervaded the atmosphere. Only
the night before my friend had been
fired upon and one Of his storehouses
robbed by band of Indians some fifteen
or twenty strong. Early in the morning
four of us, under the leadership of our
host, had set out upon the track of the
robbers.
We were well mounted, and resting
only few hours at roon had followed
hard after them till nearly midnight II
we met them in fair field we could
drive them into quarters like COWS to a
pen, but we had no mind to run into @
trap In the dark with five against if
teen; hence caution.
HALT What's thatT our leader had
whispered. We had come to the edge
of dense woods, and across an open
space, upon the brow of low sand hill,
clearly outlined in the moonlight against
the sky, we had discovered a dozen or
more half naked fellows. with their
arms extended in every direction, en-
gagged in some sort of weird, fantastic
dance.
We could not see their legs, for the
tops of the trees beyond the hill rose
waist high, making black background,
but their arms moved slowly to and fro
and we could easily imagine their legs
keeping company.
"Those are the thievesl" our host NUT
tered. II know them, even at night
You fellows just come to the edge of the
wood, where they can see you without
knowing how many there are of you,
and I'll have them down here in no
time"
He rode out alone to the foot of the
hill.
II 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: 81
have you thereI If one of you moves
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 1t ceased, and in the deep
silence which settled down upon the
forest IN such 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 our
host. "Come quietly, too, for the first
man who makes any trouble drops dead. "
Wecould hear a sound, as of hurried
consultation of some sort, going on upon
the hill for a moment, but the wind
sprung up again before we could dis
tinguish a single voice, and to our utter
astonishment the fellows actually began
their solemn dance again.
Come down or I'll shootp roared our
host, but they kept on dancing and he
did shoot.
Then there was commotion enough.
A wild cry, followed by a cloua of dust,
rose from the brow of the hill.
"Firer yelled our host, and we re-
sponded with well aimed volley, while
he whipped out his heavy revolver and
gave them another peppering.
There was perfect bedlam Of screams
from the hill, and the dust hid every
thing from view. They were either com
ing down upon us In an unexpected
horde or trimming 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 were
q hundred miles away.
With 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 OF.
the ground beneath line Of gaunt and
ghostlike prickly pears-the ungainly
cactuS Of Mexico.
They extended along the brow Of the
hill, their naked, skeleton branches
spreading out In every unaccountable
way and swaying solemnly in the breeze.
Among the roots multitude of bur-
rows in the dry dust showed where the
sandbirds had been lying, half buried,
and quietly sleeping; and 1t was their
noisy yelp we heard when they were
frightened away by our hosts duel with
the cactus.-Louisville Courier Journal.