Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-10

remove at once all their people some must inevitably perish-escapa to the east. west and south being as hopeless as any attempt to split or divert the solid phalanx must prove. Some idea may be formed of the otherwise inconceivable multitude of buffaloes when state that, whereas before theIf passage the rolling plain presented only surface of gray green grass, there was now to be seen a swath of deep dust two miles in width and extending southward as far as the eye could reach.
 "SO soon as the wondrous spectacle was over the captain gave orders to break camp and hitch up, and while this work was in progress he and two others rode off to inspect the coulee. On their return, half an hour later, they reported that of the supposed Indian village not a vestige remained except a few frag- ments of tepee coverings, broken bow or two and a twisted gun barrel, which and brought with them. Naturally, al- though deeply thankful for our strange deliverance, we were all in rather seri- Ous mood, and the old guide musingly 'aid, Wal, boys, we've he'd bout ez narrer 'scape ez eber l heered tell on. Them varmints hez paid purity dear fur ther fun, but reckin they'll git clear uv the stampede when the buff'los runs tharselves out. Then they'll hang onter the herd, layin in stock uv meat, an we won't never set eyes on any uv 'em agin
 "We now drove away from the event full camping ground, stopped at the spring to refresh ourselves and the ami mals, and having replenished our water kegs resumed the interrupted journey, expecting to reach Fort Yuma without further molestation; but, although Jim's prophecy, so far as Indians were con- cerned, was literally fulfilled, we were yet destined to encounter grave perils of another kind.
 Meantime, while threading the east ern end of the gloomy pass, we could but notice, with a shuddering feeling of relief, how absolutely certain would have been our fate had we ventured within it's narrow, rock embattled re- cesses while these were occupied by the savages; for, in more than one place, they could easily have destroyed the whole party without themselves vast ing an arrow or a charge of powder by
  bers an avalanche of overhanging bowl ders and broken rock. It was only through Captain Jim's wise leadership that we had escaped annihilation, and the good fellow was greatly pleased when all of us, especially the women, took occasion to tell him so in terms of grateful praise.
 "That night, though still within the mountain defiles, we camped down in peace and security and enjoyed the long, sound sleep which all so greatly needed, and the next morning no one unac- quainted with the circumstances, who might have chanced to see the cheerful women, merry children and jovial men at their early breakfast, could have guessed that all had so lately been in momentary expectation of a cruel death.
 "About the middle of the afternoon on this day Burrows, who anticipated no further trouble, rode on ahead of the train to select a camping place, leaving the party in charge of Gus Taylor.
 "Al was going well; we were making satisfactory progress and expected to overhaul Jim long before night, when suddenly one of the horses of Bidwell's team gave out, dropped in the harness and after two or three violent plunges died. As this was not one of the ami mals wounded in the fight at the spring, we were puzzled to account for his death, but careful examination disclosed 8 slight mark behind the left shoulder blade, and on removing part of the skin we found an arrowhead which had broken off between the ribs and, by the ho, hnl ually driven inward until it had pene- trated the sac of the heart.
 "This untoward event delayed us some time, and when we had put one of the reserve mules in poor Dicks place and again got under way, it was nearly sun down. Just beyond the spot whereon was left the carcass of the faithful beast there was quite considerable ascent to surmount. and on reaching the top men and horses were halted for 8 rest.
 Sam Bidwell, breeding over his loss, instinctively looked pack toward the motionless form of his late companion, but had no sooner done so than he ut tered startled cry, for there, in plain view and not ten yards from the partly l fayed body, stood two enormous grizzly bears, doubtless preparing to enjoy a feast Sam could not tamely endure such sight as this, and he proposed that ten or twelve of us should go down and attack the monsters. All hands eagerly assented, and eleven men, be- | sides himself, at once set out. Just as they were leaving, Taylor called them
 back and insisted that they should carry in addition to their rifles the nine re- volvers. The fellows laughed at the idea, saying that they could not fail to kill the bears at the first volley, but when Gus assured them that single
 grizzly had been known to get away
 with~A score of small caliber bullet holes
 in his hide they consented to take the pistols.
 "From the top of the hill to the place
 where the dead horse lay was about two
 hundred and fifty yards, but at that par.
 ticulars spot the canyon was not more than
 twenty yards wide, so that by dividing I |