Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-15
CHATTER XIX

the tlEht ana tne olhef 70 the left, with the
evident intention Of marrying us on both
TANKS Mt once, while the chmelmen, quick
ningtheirpace, advanced straight upon our
center Our horsemen, going out easily
also divided to cheek the others. and our
main force, ma5sed after the Arab fashion.
waited quietly for the attack
All eyes were. OF course, on the cavalry
moving from both sides at an easy trot, ~
ifout for morning exercise. They madeno
haste. rs yet there WAS nothing OF the mad
excitement " the charge Ia their behavior.
Presently they broke into a gallop, and
my heart bounded az the thought that they
were going NJ each other But when they
should have burst Into the chnrge both
sides wheeled simultaneously, waving their
lauues defantly aud uttering shrill cries.
Again they advanced, again wheeled and
retired with the same trucuient display Of
weapons. Aud 10 they went on wheeling
and circling, but instead Of getting closer
together they drew away, until finally they
must have BEEN full quarter Of a mile
apart. At this distance they brought up
and stood facing ench other Had 1 known
Arab ways better, should hnyauudsrstood
that now the play was about To begin In
earnest. Those little preliminary Gourishes
that had set my henrt a-boating 80 violent
ly were simply an introductory ceremony
meant partly to nppeaso the Arab passion
for show partly to prick the courage OF the
combatRnta.
Meanwhile Yumen Yusel's cameltnen
had pushed on and wcro now down the
slope and well into the plain When with
In u musket shot OF our front lines they
halted. Then in the twinliug OF an eve
down went every camel In both armies,
while the musketcers, crouchiug behind
their beasts, brought their long matchlocks
tothe "ready" At theHHmo moment theop.
posing bodies Of horre that had been stand
INK motionless, raising unltcdly the fierce
Warcry Of "lechhir techbrn started toward
each other ut tho full speed Of the charge.
The inStans Game tue shock Of meeting.
aud far Ia the rear we felt the earth trem.
BILE and heard the deadly grunt and thud
and clash NJ the rushing columns came TO.
gether. As the hosumen met tho front
lines Of muskcteers opened IRE, aud the tu
mutt and madness OF battle wera upun ua.
Fora llttle the cavalry rolled and reared
IN confused heaps Then they scnttered
and riderless horses began to career In ali
directions The canopy Of dust spread and
cleared, and the antagonists retired 10 their
respective sides, the enemy showiugunmis
taxable signs Of discontinue
At this such Of our men US were olson
gagged raised q triumphant shout. and
though Abon kuum SAID not a word his
Rlitteriug eyes declared hts wild satlsfne.
tion, As FOR me, I stood In my stirrups
waving my sword aud Yelling myself
hoarse, Tor the hellsh feeling, partly un.
holy glrc, partly dght, partly mad desire
To Kill, which scizes man when blood ha.
been actually spilled In baltic, had posses.
sion OF me, quiyered like an aspen, and
was a. dry in the mouth ms 10 had been In
The thick Of the Eight for a day.
Again tho cavalry On both sides wheeled
formed and charged; again they rolled In
cnuyulsiyr heaps, parted with moro empty
saddles, and yet again reformed aud
dashed AZ each other. IL was impossible to
tell which wHs getting the host Of il, Tor 10
the dnhtstorm that nged about them
nothing was diacerulblo, But there was
no doubt on The point when presently, in.
ttead OF forming again, the enemyis horse
burst out OF the dun cloud aud went spur.
ring up the hill with ours slashing and
itabbing al their hcels
Abou Kumm, beside himself with 10y.
soclicrated am order our camelmen, sling
ing their muskets seized their spenra.
leapcd upon their beasts, and with a deaf
tning roar rushed to the charge. Our an.
lagouists were as q;iiclS as Ourselves. They.
100, took 10 their spears and their cAmela,
tnu' yelling Ike AnNRges. tho lurching
lostH fell upon each other
Never did leader set Il drawer example
han was then set by Abou Kuum, and
perhnpA never were a lcadcr'a value aud in
luencc more potently felt lie was here.
there and everywhere, directing, eneour,
aging, hewing and cutting, and ever seek
ng the placca where porils were thiekest
My order, were TO keep by his side. but
they wero not easily carried out. A nun.
drcd times | lost him IN the tumbllnp.
WHEELING eddies Of attack aud rceon, a hun
drcd times was struck almost senscless In Z
ihe bloody crush. hundred time, found /
myself cluiching Ia terror At nommcl and I
uiaup as the steel clashod aud glanced
about me- and as often Twas on tho point
y idntlng at the sieleuiug sight OF dyen
,odies, brute and human
The reader Will gather had rather lost
ny bead, and indeed That is feeble wayot /
iutung my disirictlon 1 owe IL more to
he intelligence aud doxterlty OF my little
marc than 70 any effort Of my own thut | !
vas not carved to death. 10 this hour / I
'annot imagine how I escaped where so
May better men were biting Tie dust; but,
when you como 20 think OF 10, Il always is
mystery how any one ever comes alive
iut Of battle Surely II anything can
make the nrcu cnemy dance with delight IL
must be the ghastly spectacle OF irea1ied
men backing eneh other to pieces
hyaHd by began 10 uudentand--R thing
more dlnloult thHn IL may seem--that the
advantage lay WIKI us ! understood II
rom the liendish cShilaiation Of our men,
rom the short, deep coughs OF satisfaction
sith which they drove their weapons home,
md from the greater proportion col shrioka
md empty saddles amung our opponents.
The discovery acted Ike drug that sets
he blood on iiie 10 Keep from going stark
mad ! roared myself black In the face and
ode furiously whithenoevor my goaded
mare chose TO carry me, sometimes among
friends. oftrner among foes, aud always
With frantic desire 10 kee my sword run
IA red a. the others. Nothing less than tho
mercy Of God brought me out Of that
LEWIS mess alive
All thia willie fnmen Yusel and the man
N the black horse Nvfc posted on tho ridge
ooking down en- the battle. They might
&c niere SPECTATOR, indifferent 10 tho issue,
. remote they seemed from tho scene Of
nguish In which two armies were pouring
ne their hearts blood But when we be,
an TO gain a mounted messenger camo
Hlloping down The SLOPE and spoke for a
1inuie or 20 to the commander OF Yumen
'usel'H troops Whatever was his mes.
lilc II put fresh force and courage into tia
tpn for tfnff Ina. d, t., a.. ,.... !. 49,