The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-30
A CLOSE SHAVE.
How n Government Scout Was Saved From
tho Hands of tho Enemy.

of the column, gave the signal to halt and
pretty soon word came back that they had
struck the fresh trail of II war party. Two
| or three of them disappeared among the
foothills and were absent for an hour.
| When they returned, it was to report that
the war party. had gone into camp four
miles away and that the Indians had
| white man with them as captive From
| his dress they believed him to- be q govern
ment scout, and from certain preparations
being made they felt certain he was going
to be put to the torture
There were Il hundred troopers of us.
| while the Indians numbered only 40, but
they had gone into camp at the base of a
mountain spur from which they could note
the approach of any one coming within q
mile, except it be to the rear. If we moved
as body, they would mount and away be-
fore we were within rifle shot. 1t was final
| ly decided that one Of the Pawnees should
conduct 10 dismounted troopers over the
mountain to approach the camp in the rear,
while the main command was to move up
as near as possible without discovery and
be ready to dash ut the camp when the sig
nal was given. 1t was 6 o'clock before we
reached the crest of the mountain. 1t was
before we found the ravine which the
scout said would lead us right into the In
dian camp. While we had only about n
mile to CO. it had to be travelled in darkness
over route which would have been peril
GUS by daylight, and it was close upon 0
O'Clock when we finally reached the fringe
OF bushes growing at the mouth of the RI
vine.
Right before us and not 100 feet away
was the Indian camp. There were three
small fires burning, with n smell of roast
ing meat in the air, and from tho move
ments of the redskins we concluded they
had Just finished their supper, late as was
the hour 1t was some little time before
we made out the white man, as he was
bound hand and foot and lying at full
length on the ground. Fresh fuel was
thrown Oh the fires, and rs the camp was
lighted up an Indian came forward to the
bushes and hacked down n sapling with
his tomahawk. While he cut and trimmed
he was within 25 feet of us. Had we not
crept back when we saw him approaching
he would have run right over the line The
stake was sharpened and driven into tho
earth at about the center of the camp and
while two or three Indians were engaged
at that, four or five were collecting fuel
Fortunately for us they gathered it to our
left, where a big tree had been uprooted by
the wind. \ cart load of dry limbs was
conveyed to the stake and piled up, and
then the feet of the captive were loosened,
and two Indians pulled him up He was
showed us his face we recognized him rs
Charley Keats, the government scout at
tached to Fort Wallace. He had been cap
tured Mt daylight that morning about 80
miles away.
white man cold-going to build fire for
him-make him warm!' said the chief of
the band rs he pointed to the stake.
Waugh! You are pack of skulking
cowards!' answered the scout as he drew
himself up. Burn and be hangedl Pve
got the scalplocks of six of your best men,
and you won't be very much ahead of
Charley Keatsr'
dozen warriors ran in upon him with
raised tomahawks, but the chief shouted
for them to hold on and ordered the pris-
oner led to the stake. 4 rawhide larat,
which had been soaking in the spring. was
then brought along, and after the scout had
been stripped of his clothing he was made
fast to the stake by the lariat being passed
around his waist He thus had the freedom
of his arms and legs, and the fuel was so
arranged that it did not come within three
feet of the stake. While they were thus
preparing him for torture we saw him
glance about as if he might have faint
hope of rescue, but presently despair came
to his heart, and he turned to the chief and
said:
You are n squaw, and these people
around you are children whom | could
drive with stick! There isn't n real war
rior in your tribe. have made the whole
gang of you run like rabbitsr'
There was rush for him again, but the
chief drove the warriors back, and stand
ing with folded arms before the scout he
answered:
1--WE know you. You are n brave man.
You speak truly when you say Sou have
the scalps of some of our warriors. But
we shall see how it will be with you when
we prick you with knivcs-when we shoot
powder into your fesh-when we thrust
in these splintcrs and light thcm-when
we cut off ears and nose and tongue! After
that we will light the fire and sit down
and listen to your cries!'
IF you hear one yell from me, you may
tell every white man in this country that |
was a babyr' shouted the scout. "Go ahead
with your picnicl A Teller can't die but
once and I've been prepared for this sort of
death for the last five yearsp
There was yell from every Indian as he
ceased speaking, but the crowd parted
right and left, and the chief drew his knife
and stood surveying the captive. We got
the word at this moment to open fire, and
our 10 carbines and the scouts rifle rang
out as one. We rose up with n cheer and
fired again and again, but after the third
Volley there was no longer anything in
sight to fire at. The Indian ponies, grazing
little distance away, dashed off in
drove, and every warrior who could move
dashed at the side of the mountain and dis
appeared among the rocks and thickets.
The command came galloping up, but
there was no work for it. On the ground
lay seven dead and two wounded Indians,
with 10 or IL rifles and all their blankets
scattered about. Seven of the IL men had
aimed ut the chief in the first fire, and seven
bullets had struck him. We turned to the