Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-11

Of the saddle and was leading the mule
with my left hand. The path was SO mar
| row that the mule had to follow in the
footsteps of the horse. In my right hand
was my repeating rifle, at that time nov
| city, resting across my right knee. / had
| nearly gained the highest part of the pass
and was advancing between two walls OF
| lava when my horse suddenly threw up
its head, and looking down found myself
looking right into the muzzle of n rifle.
instinctiveiy drew back, tightening the
rein and causing the horse to rear. AT the
same moment a shotf was fired, and the
horse fell with bullet through his head.
Almost at the same instant several other
shots were fred, and fell with the horse,
wounded in the left shoulder and right
thigh. As l fell threw up my right hand
with the rife and received an arrow in the
arm, which left this scar.
The mule was Juggling at the rope as I
lay stretched out with my left leg under
the dead horse and my left arm stretched
beyond my head by the backing of the
mule, the lariat being still held in my
hand and partly twisted round my wrist.
At this moment an Indian appeared just
before me. can see that man still. Ev-
cry feature is stamped on my memory. /
thought my last hour had come as he step
ped toward me clutching his knife. 1 rails
cd my wounded arm, holding the rife like
pistol, and fired point blank at the In
dian, who dropped dead on the spot.
Then the mule gave scream and reared
up, dragging me from under the horse,
wrcnched himself loose and galloped down
the pass. My idea at the time was that an
Indian had attempted to get at me from
behind, but finding the mule in the way
had thrust his lance into it. My surmise
was probably correct, as the mule eventu
ally arrived at the fort with a lance wound
in its flank
My repeating rifle evidently disconcert-
cd the Indians, and, although l fired sew
eral more shots into the bushes, never
caught sight of them again. They fired
once or twice, and now and then an arrow
fell near me, but they were careful never
to expose themselves.
1t was now quite dark, and / managed
to drag myself into corner among some
high blocks of lava, and sat, leaning
against them, with my rife across my
knees, expecting every moment to be at
tackled l extracted the arrow, and the
blood began to pour over my hand. Get
ting ont my knife, / ripped up my sleeve.
knowing by that that an artery must be
wounded / improviscd tourniquet by
tying knot on my handkerchief, and
with my unwounded hand and my teeth
bandaged the arm and stopped the bleed
ing. | began to feel rather done up and
was leaning back against the rock when
heard d light rustling over my head.
On looking up I could see between me
and the sky the bushy head of soap plant
being thrust over the edge of the rock.
This was evidently a rusc on the part of
the Indians to see if l were on the alert.
l instantly fired upward, and the soap
plant disappeared. / dared not go to
sleep, and / felt comparatively happy. l
remembered distinctly of repeating poetry
to myself, and rather appropriately Burns
poem, Man Was Made To Mourn" kept
running through my head My sense of
hearing seemed to be intensified, and l
could hear the slightest rustic of leaf,
which often took for the stealthy tread
of q foe
About 3 o'clock, as near as I could
Judge, heard what at once recognized
as the sound of metal striking q stone 1t
was very faint and seemed a long way
off, but l felt sure that it was caused by
the iron shoe of a horse. And if so it was
probably tho horse Of a white man, as
the Indians almost never shoe their horses
l listened intently for repetition Of the
sound, and shortly afterward heard an
other sound, which l knew by experience
to be caused by the rush of number of
horses over an arroyo, and then all was
silent again. waited for some time, and
then / heard family the unmistakable
tramp of horses galloping. The sound
gradually became more distinct and then
suddenly ceased. Soon 1 heard voices
and recognized those of Santos and the
lieutenant of my troop. At last heard
the order to advance. cried out:
Look out! There are Indians oil
around"
MY Godr' heard the lieutenant say,
che is still alive
Just then heard rustling all around
me, caused by the Indians making off, and
to my intense relief saw the lieutenant
and number of dismounted troopers
coming toward me. AS could not sit on
a horse on account of my wounds, as soon
rs it was daylight they constructed horse
litter and conveyed me to the fort where
l lay for something like three months. 1
was told that Santos, hearing tho shots
when l assembled the pass and no answer
ing call from me, concluded that / was
killed or prisoner and rode off to the
fort, returning with help just in time for
my rescue.-Exchange.