The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-08-16

brought them down, so that among the
rush of flying savages there was not
now a single mounted man.
1t was wild race. We did not in
tend second ambuscade to be set for
us. 1t took us only ten seconds to re-
charge our rifles, then we dashed off
Carson, who carried two magnificent
revolvers, joining us and leaving his
party to reload.
The sixty-fve Apaches were strain
ing every nerve to reach the shelter of
the dark ravine, and as they had but
one mile to cover it seemed possible
that we might not overtake them.
Carson, Lount and Scott, superbly
mounted, gained on them and came
within half rifle shot, while the other
six of us were still $50 yards in the
rear. Suddenly, seeing only three
were close upon them, dozen war
| riors turned and delivered their fire.
Scott fell, and his trained horse came
to dead stop. In the hope of secur-
ing at least one scalp, the braves rushed
up with tomahawks and knives. As we
pressed forward we could see in the
brilliant moonlight, close on each side
of the riderless horse, Carson on the
right and Lount on the left-the two
veteran plainsmen sitting calmly in
their saddles awaiting the onset. We
did not dare to discharge our rifles for
fear of hitting our leaders
Carson had said calmly: "Their
pieces are empty, Sam. Wait till they
almost touch us.
The Apaches, finding the whites did
not fire, evidently supposed that their
''shoot-all-day little guns" were not
loaded. With exultant yells they came
recklessly on. They had reached within
fifteen feet of the impassive horsemen,
when six shots, SO rapidly discharged
that the report of one overlapped the
other, blazed out and as many braves
went down.
Then, before the remaining six could
turn and run, Carson, giving way to
fit of rage, drove the spurs into his
horses hanks, and, with an appalling
shout, fairly rode two of the miscreants
down and the others skurried away,
but our rifles finished them.
The twenty men who had been left
behind to reload reioined us here for
the pursuit, but Carson put up his re-
volvers. "That will do, boys. The
reds have got their lesson"
All this, which has taken so long to
tell, occupied scarce minute in the
doing. We found Scott with but
scalp wound, and we set off back to the
Indian camp jolly party.
Soatternd ovar tho crroun5 VIC found
blankets, buffalo robes, deer skins,
prairie wolf pelts, war clubs, bows and
arrows and spears. Twenty sets of
these weapons still lay by the warriors
slain by the opening rifle volley. Near
at hand were tethered more than hun
dred ponies.
Then we set out for the corral. The
approach, the attack, the rescue, the
skirmish, the pursuit, the destruction
of the camp had been crowded into
less than three hours.
This was only one among the daring
necessary deeds which made Kit Car
sons name household word through
out the length and breadth of his ma.
tive land.
In after years when, at his own home
in Taos, 1 came to know Christopher
Carson well, he assured me-and his
history bears him out in this-.that
never once in his long career of battle
had he needlessly killed a single red
man, though in those times among the
pioneers of the Western plains the life
of an Indian was considered of no
more account than that of noxious
beast.
When the 'jubilation" had quieted
down Carson inquired for the pris-
oner.
"Safe here, but utterly worn out
and nearly starved, " replied Prescott.
''The Indians would offer her nothing
but horsefesh. We gave her q good
supper, with plenty of hot tea, and she
is asleep in Scott's wagon, fast asleep
if not awakened by our noise. New
York Press.