Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-09-16
A low murmur Of approval went

round the circle as Carson concluded,
and we assured him that we would inn
plicitly obey instructions.
IF you do, we'll come out all right,
men," the brave fellow rejoined. Now
let's get to cur posts. Take your sta
tons all round inside the corral Sit
right down on the ground and shoot be-
tween the wheel spokes when the time
comes. Not a words to be spoken nor a
pipe lighted till we see what turns up.
FL 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 a few minutes everything was ar
ranged to Kits satisfaction. The men,
each one with rife and revolver ready,
placed themselves about 10 feet apart
entirely around the inner circumference
Of the circle, so rs 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 chatting
under the wearing ST rense. were getting
restless. Kit Car, 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 us.
A quiet gesture called attention to this
move, and all the men rolled themselves
over to that side of the Enclosure.
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 IL 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 ST.
simultaneously, and doubtless knowing
our exact numbers supposed that in no
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 time, while those on the tanks
made a circling sweep. and in a very
brief space our position was completely
surrounded. The several detachments
then halted at about go yards distance,
apparently awaiting some preconcerted
signal, or perhaps to make sure that we
were off our guard.
Although by the moons clear light we
could distinctly note every movement OF
our enemies, we ourselves, wedged in be-
tween and shaded by the closely packed
horses and the high topped wagons, were
quite invisible to them. Our force had
of course been properly redistributed to
meet the emergency, and there We're now
four men concealed behind each one Of
that number of wagons, while in lee of
of the fifth knelt Carson, Tom Secord
and Frank Austin.
For fully 10 manifestations minutes
| for us-the hostiles remained motionless
as so many statues. Then the simulated
cry of a coyote broke in upon the dread
stiffness, and the whole five parties ST.
lently as shadows slowly converged
upon the corral. They did not, however,
come quite up, but halted again when
within % yards. and we could see that
they were armed only with tomahawlss,
knives and warclubs, having evidently
| left their bows and arrows behind, in
tending to make a hand to hand massa-
ere of it.
As we gazed upon the hideously paint
ed wretches each one of us no doubt
steadied his nerves and steeled his heart
by rejecting how much depended upon
his own individual proves, but we had
little time to think at all, for within five
seconds of this last halt Kit Carson's
low Steady, boys! Steady
nowl All together. Firew-fell upon
our ears.