Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-01-28
A FIGHT WITHCACTUS
A RISKY STORY or A WESTERN MIS-
ADVENTURE AT NIGHT.

SCNEN LIVE Rf NAsfT i.
A LudIcrous Adventure Of a Party Hunt
Ing Indians In Southwestern Mexico.
The Bravery Of u Leader Brsught Rid
icute Ipon Himself.
Halt. What's that" said our leader
Ia sharp whisper.
II was a clear moonlight night in the
extreme Southwest =. Mexico.
was visiting u friend who conducted
large ranch and Hacienda there.
A local revolt had just been quelled in
the neighborhopd and a spirit Of lawless-
ness still pervade,l the atmosphere Only
the night before my friend had been
fired upon n,tl one Of his storehouses
robbed by band Of Indians some fifteen
or twenty strung. Early IN the morning
four Of Us, under the leadership Of our
host. had set oat upon the track of tho
robbers.
We were well mounted, and resting
only few hours at toon 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 iif-
teen: hence caution.
"lialt! Whats that our leader had
whispered. We had come Ia the edge
of dense woods, and across an open
space. upon the brow of a low sand hill.
clearly outlined in the moonlight against
the sky, we had discovered dozen or
more half naked fellows, with their
arms extended in every direction, en-
gagged ia some sort of weird, fantastic
dance.
We could not zee their legs. for the
tops of the trees beyond the hill rose
waist high, making a black background,
but their arms moved slowly 10 and fro
and We could easily imagine their legs
keeping company.
"Those are the thieves.' our host NUT
tered. II know them, even at night.
You fellows just come TO the edge of tho
wood, where they can see you without
knowing how many there are Of you,
and III have them down here ia no
time"
He rode ont alone TO the foot of the
hill
It required no little courage, and we
watched him with proportionate admira-
tion
The figures did not cease their dance
or notice him. Suddenly. with his riilo
at his shoulder. he called to them: Il
have you there! II 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, hnt fortunately az
that moment il 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 ike a statue outlined
against the SKY.
''Cone down here now" shouted our
host. Come quietly. TOO. fer the irsf
man who makes any trouble drops dead
Wecpnll hear a sound. ~ of hurried
consultation Of some sort, going ON upon
the hill for moment, bur the wind
sprung ZIP again before We could dis
tinguish IL single voice. aud to our utter
astoDishmenf the fellows ac ctually began
their solemn dance again.
Come down or I'll shnotr' roared nnr
host, but they kept on dancing and ha
did shoot.
Then there was eemmotien enough
A wild cry, followed by a cloud of dust.
rose from the brow Of the hill.
Fire. yelled our host, and we re-
sponded with well aimed yolley, while
he whipped out his heavy revolver and
gave them another peppering.
There was a perfect hellam of screams
from the hill. and the dust hid every
thing from view. They were either com
ing down upon rs in an unexpected
horde or running for their lives.
For us il was either flS or follow W.
waited irresolutely for the word of our
leader, when the dust settled aud there
stood the Indians. silently going ON with
their fantastic dance as though we were
hundred miles away.
With n fierce ejaculation our hort put
spurs to his horse and dashed up the
hill. We followed, without command
to find him upon the summit, sitting o.
the gronnd beneath line of gaunt and
ghostlike priekly pears-the ungainly
cactus Of Mexico
They extended along the brow Of the
hill, their naked, skeleton branches
spreading out in every uBaecountable
way and swaking 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 cactns.-Louisyille Courier. Journal,
-ss-
EY.ztm., H.4.n4.zta.