The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-08-16

| deserted by the Indians he had dis
mounted when within mile of the
mountain, placed his famous horse in
the rear amoung our led animals and
concealed himself in one of the Gov
cred wagons.
Everything in the vicinity was quiet
as the grave, but the redoubted scout
assured us that, lying behind the
frowning heights, were five score saw
! ages, and that probably one or two
\ were looking down upon us.
We formed corral in the leisurely
manner of men unconscious of danger.
Night came on with cloudless sky.
By the light Of full moon objects
would be quite distincly seen, while n
strong wind blowing from the west, j.
e., directly from the enemys position
to ours, effectually drowned the noise
of any movements we might make.
After supper Carson gathered us
around him and said in his peculiarly
soft low voice: 'Near the south end of
this little range there is, as your
guide knows, a deep, ragged ravine
winding around TO the west and finally
running out on the open plain quite
close to the trail.
"Geronimo'sme won t make move
while this wind is blowing to carry q
sound to us, but they know that it
will die away just before daybreak.
They propose then to steal through
the pass, form up on this side, make a
rush and take you by surprise if they
could do that, not a man of you would
escape.
''Now, / propose about midnight,
when the horses will all be in the cor
raj, to take twenty men, ride straight
down the east side to the ravine, pass
through it like shadows and come out
on the trail in their rear. Here the
real trouble will begin, as we shall
then have to sneak, down wind, over a
mile of open ground.
"Under ordinary circumstances at
tempting to surprise band of Indians
in this way would be childish, but
these fellows are gorged with stolen
food, are intent only upon wiping out
this party, will never dream of being
attacked from the west, and if they
keep watch at all it will be only for a
short time and in this direction.
''But remember, men, whether we
rescue q live woman or mutilated
corpse depends entirely upon the
exactness with which you who are left
in camp follow instructions.
eff our surprise is perfect the reds
will all rush forward to meet our
attack. They will not, must not have
time to think of their prisoner, else
they'll murder her at once.
Zone hour after we leave here ten
of you must silently saddle and mount
your horses. The instant you hear
our first volley dash like lightning
through the pass.
you'll see the woman tied up close
to the rocks on the left of the pass as
you go out. Two ofyou, appointed be-
forehand, must snatch her up and fly
back, while the other eight join in the
fight. 1t won't last ten minutes, for
there's not band of Indians on the
plains that will stand that long when
unexpectedly attacked at night on both
sides at once. And now," concluded
the intrepid and experienced Carson,
eve may rest for few hours in abso-
lutte security"
Atmidnight Carson and his selected
party left so stealthily that some of us
who were doing did not notice their
departure.
Precisely at 1, Lount having
previously let us draw lots to determine
who should accompany him, directed
the mount. Both young Alec Fraser
and myself were of this number The
whole ten of us, silent as statues, sat
motionless for some time in our
saddles.
We were armed with percussion lock
muzzle leaders. Each man carried,
besides his belt knife, heavy Colts
revolver.
AT last, when nearly half hour had
gone by, the old guide whispered:
"All goes well, boys. If the redskins
have no dogs along, Carson'n surprise
them"
He had hardly spoken when out upon
the night air rang n volley of rifle
shots, and simultaneously from the
Indian camp rose a pandemonium of
yells and shrieks.
"Ride, mem Iide!" cried Lount.
The corral keepers whirled one of the
eneamping wagons aside, and we flew
into the pass five abreast.
As we thundered headlong over its
200 yards of length Lount hurriedly
added: "You two, Prescott and Ad-
ans, seize the prisoner. You others
follow me, and, boys, don't throw a
bullet away!"
The next instant we flashed out
upon the Apaches' camping ground
and Immediately caught sight of the
captive. She was sitting with her
back to us, bound to spear shaft
driven into the earth. Never drawing
rein we dashed past her, leaving Pres
colt and Adams. We spurred on where
a fight was raging a hundred yards to
the west.
The savages, ready to fly when a
score of warriors failed to rise after
the rifle volley, had now correctly es-
timated the number of their assailants
and were rallying. Most were on foot,
but some had scrambled to their ponies
bareback. just as we came out upon
them l saw two mounted braves charge
furiously down with leyeled lances on
Carson. Before either came within
striking distance the unerring marks
man had frad tuyioa lightuipor l;I-o