Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-01-05
SAVED BY AMMONIA.
How a Little Vial of It Was Used
by n Hunter.

for the dclusive metal, found myself
in the little mining town OF Clifton,
Graham county, Arizona, in that flnan.
cial condition known as "busted." II
is true that ! still possessed about
twenty dollars In "long green" u
cayuse plug pinto and aged,) n Win
chester rifle, six-shooter and tur-
quois complexioned burro, named for
his Castilian prototype Santa Anna,
but | saw no way in which TO invest
these belongings with any hope OF
large and speedy returns. While
pondering over the fearful uncertainties
Of q prospector's life and fortunes
was approached by tall and bearded
pard," who suggested that return
with him to the mountains. and in
stead of hunting for silver apply my
talents to hunting wild animals lie
gave as his reasons therefor that there
was always a market for jerlSed
venison, as well rs u demand for
bear and other pelts; besides which
the territorial bounties for destructive
wild animals scalps were n consider
alton not to be overlooked. His argu-
ment in favor OF the game against
hours had invested fifteen dollars of
my twenty dollars in grub, ammuni.
ton, etc, and become the running
mate and 'pard" Of Charley johnson,
cx-ranger and professional hunter. lie
invested like amount, and packing
Santa Anna and Johnson's burro, u
companion piece to Santa Anna, with
all our property, including dog tent,
we left Clifton one bright October morn
ing for the hills of Graham county.
After about two months OF wander
ing In the mountains near the New
Mexico line we crossed over into that
territory, and made u camp within ten
miles of the border. The place chosen
was in n well-watered canyon, iuclosed
on either side by thickly wooded hills,
on whose sides and submits we hoped
TO find everything available for
slaughter, nor were very far wrong in
our expectations In three weeks we
had killed, butchcred and "jerled"
twenty-three deer, aud had met and
mastered seven bears and three noun
tain lions, besides having kept our
larder well supplied with fowl in the
shape Of wild turkey, numbers of
which fused" in the locality.
II had been our custom for zach man.,
after getting an early breakfast, TO
mount his horse and start for the hills,
with no settled time for return. II he
found no game within five miles he
could ride ten, or twenty, and II sue
cessful, when his kill was more than
his horse could pack, he would hang
the carcasses and return for the burros
TO make a load into camp,
Early one clear morning In middle
January johnson and had left the
camp together on one OF our daily ex-
cursions, and after riding together five
miles or more separated, he taking
northerly direction for some pine
parks In which the black.tail deer
grazcd, and ! going toward the west,
where juniper growth 1ourished, and
where expected, from signs" had
recently observed, bear In some force
roamed and fed. had progressed
about three miles, and was nearing
the edge of the juniper strip, when |
came upon u large herd OF wild
turkeys, out Of which succeeded in
potting Il fine gobblcr. This bird
hung up by means Of a stout cord TO
gnarled and stuntcd oak tree. JUS: on
the edge Of the "bear park" intending
TO take him into camp when | returned
in the evening.
was fairly successful that day In
my search for bruin, and when the sun
was some two hours past the meridian,
started home with the hide and scalp
Of large specimen Of the berry-loving
Ursus, silver-tipped variety. had not
forgotten the dead turkey, and went aft
err him, though where he hung was some
what out Of my direct road to camp, |
reached the ncighborhood, and began
searching for the tree in which the
bird had hung, which | soon found, but
was somewhat nonplused TO find that
the ordinary Thanksgiving feast had
flown, and had left his head behind
him. Some animal or influence had re-
moved the gobbler, but what specific
one ! could not tell The bird was
hung too high for either bear or noun
tain lion TO have disturbed II, and TO
have thought the robbery the work of
an eagle would have been erroneous,
from the fact that no feathers or blood
were discernible under the tree. Some
thing with four legs or two hands had
climbed the tree and pulled the turkey
down. left my horse, together with
my rifle, near the tree and began 10
pick around among the grass and
powders with the hope that might
see some traces Of the thief or his
booty ] had walked perhaps forty
yards from my horse. when ! found
the mutilated remains OF the prize Of
the rafiie They were lying close DO.
aide large rock formation directly I'M
der a Juniper pine, whose branches
forlSed so low that had 10 stoop 10 get
under the tree. had Just pushed the
berry-laden branches aside with my
bowed shoulders, and was reaching for
the torn carcass Of the bird, when |
heard a scream and growl, and felt
myself struck on the back Of the neck
by weight that simply knocked mo
endways fell on my face, with my
nose serving as u drill for the various
quartz formations ON the section and
I Inc yyhara fell for aOma iiLtle time