Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-06-07
INDIAN STRATAGEM,
HOW GERONIMO FOOLED A SQUAD Or
UNCLE SANS cAvALRYMEN.

Biistering Sand and Lay in Wait Until
the Soldiers Came Up-They Are tn,
Only Indians That Can Do 1t.
l saw Geronimo and dozen of his
Apaches do something in Arizona in
1887 which | never would have believed
possible had not witnessed it with my
swn eyes.
The Apaches are unquestionably the
most dreaded tribe of Indians on the
continent. They are tougher, more en-.
during and more unconquerable than
any other of their race. An Apachecan
lope up the side Of mountain with ths
thermometer marking 100 degs., and
when he reaches the top he won't show
a drop of extra perspiration, nor will be
breathe q whit faster than when he
started.
He will go for days without morse
of food or drop of water; he will live
ON snakes, mice and refuse, or, if thu
worst comes to the worst, will shoot his
horse and eat what he wants of him raw
Set out to pursue band of Apache raid
ers, and if they are hard pressed they
will separate, each for himself, so that
the only way to keep up the pursuit i
to follow them individually, in which
case the Apache is sure to have the best
end of the contract. When the hunt i
over the dusky miscreants will come to
gether at some point twenty or thirty
more miles away.
There were twenty-five of us cavalry.
men returning from one of our fruitlea
pursuits # the terrible Geronimo. Our
horses were worn out, and SO were we
1t was one of the hottest days | have
ever known in that throbbing furnace
of country. We had several miles Of
baked alkali plain still to traverse before
reaching the fort, where we could secure
shade and water, and what we needed
most of all-rest.
Whew! but it was hot! Had not the
air been perfectly dry neither man nor
beast could have stood it. The metal
work on our guns was so heated that no
one could bear to touch it with the
naked hand. The air shimmered and
throbbed as it does over newly plowed
field at noontide of a summer day.
North, east, south and west was one
level stretch of plain, on which not q
tree, shrub or even blade of grass grew
Far to the westward could be seen the
outlines of the fort, oddly distorted
through the quivering atmosphere, but
in every other direction was the naked,
burning desert.
We were strung along for distance Of
several hundred yards. In fact there wa,
a squad of five horsemen much farther
than that in the rear. All the animal
were plodding slowly through the sand
which it seemed to me was hot enough
to roast eggs, their heads dropping
while we were simply enduring il, grim
l.y closing 0saf' teeth, holding out to reach
the post.
Was there anything to be apprehended
from Geronimo? Could we old cam.
paigners be entrapped2 Low, level sands
on every hand. Well, right there in the
midst of that flaming plain, with its
horrible sandy waste, in which no spear
of grass could find root, that frightful
chieftain and his Apaches ambuscaded
us. 1t sounds incredible, but it is fact
Suddenly heard rifle firing at the
rear. 1t had dull, odd sound, but it
was close at hand, and as turned in
the saddle saw that the squad farthest
away were engaged in a desperate fight
with party of Indians, who were on
foot, shooting, striking and darting
hither and thither like so many demons
We instantly wheeled and hurried
back as fast as we could to the help Of
our comrades, but before we could reach
them three saddles were emptied, and
Geronimo and his warriors were scurry.
ing across the plain at greater speed
than any to which we could force oul
exhausted ponies, who sank to their fet
locks at every step. We gave them .
parting volley, which wounded several
but they managed to limp off with tht
help of others, and all were soon beyond
danger. l don't know how far they
travelled off over that burning desola
ton, but it may have been many miles
for they were capable of doing it if they
chose.
These Apaches must have discovered
our approach while we were good way
off. Knowing we were on our return to
the post they could easily calculate
where we would pass. Then they bur.
rowed in the sand, covering themselves
entirely with the blistering particles, SO
that only their snakelike eyes peered
forth. Thus we passed within a few
rods of them without suspecting their
presence.
In conversation with General Crook
about the extraordinary incident, that
old campaigner smiled and replied:
81 am not surprised. have seen them
do the same thing myself, but the
Apache is the only Indian that can do
(yhicago Mail