The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-11-23


were not an enemy within 100 miles.
Meantime not a sound-man's voice
nor ponys whinny-had been heard from
the canyon. All within its gloomy
depths seemed devoid of life, and moth.
ing less than implicit faith in our leader
could have made us believe that 1t con
cealed horde of ruthless savages pa
tiently waiting to glut their hellish thirst
for blood.
About o o'clock the sisters bade us
good night and were moving off to theil
own wagon when Carson carelessly said
"Maybe you'd best keep all your clothes
on tonight, girls, for we'll likely make {
start by in the morning."
"Oh, captain, laughingly replied Miss
Douglas, "well not go regularly to bed
so long as the Indians are about. II
they call upon us, they'll find us ready
dressed"
When the ladies had retired, Kit.
whole manner changed. He sat for some
time in deep thought, then quietly sig.
nailed us to follow him out of the corral
On gaining safe distance he said
"Now, boys, it's all right to play up easy
like before the women folks, but all the
same we're in for big fight. These red
cusses outnulnber us three to one, and
they're after scalps and plunder sure.
"We'll lay low and keep dark, SOS tt
make believe we're all asleep, and if we
can fool them into making rush on the
wagons every man Of us must shoot
straight and steady, SOS to thin then
out little.
"They'l most likely attack on foot,
and if we can knock dozen of 'em over
at the first fire they'll turn and run.
Then you want to pour in the lead from
your revolvers and make a running fight
of it to the canyon. But don't, any OF
you, follow them one inch into it. il
you do, you'll lose your hair certain. fol
these Apaches are cunning as coyotes,
and they'll. try to draw us on to where
therell be lots more of them skulking.
eff you fellows all keep cool and just
kind of think you're on wolf hunt, we
can lick hundred of the worst reds on
the plains. And, mind, we must lick
them so bad to begin with they'll not
want to trouble us again. We've got
women along, and whatever happens
every last man of us must keel over be.
fore a hair of their heads is touched"
A low murmur Of approval went
round the circle as Carson concluded,
and we assured him that we would i'm.
plicitly obey instructions.
''If you do, We'll come out all right,
men," the brave fellow rejoined. "Now
let's get to our posts. Take your sta.
tons all round inside the corral. Sit
right down ON the ground and shoot be.
comes. Not words to be spoken nor a
pipe lighted till we see what turns up.
I'll undertake to keep you awake, and if
the attacks made only on one side you
must all gather there, but don't show a
finger outside the shade of the wagons
till the reds begin to run. Then pile in
for all you're worth"
In few minutes everything was ar.
ranged to Kits satisfaction. The men,
each one with rifle and revolver ready,
placed themselves about 10 feet apart
entirely around the inner circumference
of the circle, so as to command every
possible point of approach, and then, ex.
cept for the gentle breathing of the
horses and the occasional howl of dis
tant wolf, absolute silence prevailed-a
silence strangely weird and solemn to
the wakeful emigrants, who, however
fearless, could not fail to reflect that this
glorious, moonlit night might be their
last ON earth.
Two hours passed away in that anx-
ious expectancy, more trying to the
nerves of brave men than the fiercest
conflict, and still the Indians made no
sign.
1t was nearly midnight, and some of
us, cramped by long sitting and chafng
under the wearing suspense, were getting
restless. Kit Carson noted our growing
disquiet, and gliding noiselessly from one
to the other whispered in the ear of each
few words of cheer. He had barely
completed his round when his keen eye
detected one, two, three and finally up
to 40 savages-save for paint, feathers
and weapons, naked as the day they were
born-steal from the black mouth of the
pass, range themselves in line and crouch
ing like panthers come slowly toward
A quiet gesture called attention to tAIs
move, and all the men rolled themselves
over to that side of the inclosure.
The canyon was more than 300 yards
away, but the moon now rode high in
the heavens, and we could see every
maneuver of the Indians quite plainly.
For little distance they preserved Their
alignment and then divided up into five
groups of eight each. 1t was evident
that believing us to be asleep they had
arranged to attack all the wagons 81.
multaneously, and doubtless knowing
our exact numbers supposed that in nc
case was any one of the vehicles likely
to contain more than four men-an easy
prey for eight! After thus forming in
sections the central groups held back
for a time, while those on the fianks
made a circling sweep, and in very
brief space our position was completely
Ii