The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-07-11


1 had taken my right foot from the stir
rup and had crossed my leg over the horn
Of the saddle and was leading the mule
with my left hand The path was so mar
row that the mule had to tollow in the
footsteps of the horse. In my right hand
was my repeating rifle, at that time nov
city, resting across my right knee i 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 rifle l
instinctively drew back, tightening the
rein and causing the horse to rear AT the
same moment a shot was fired, and the
horse fell with bullet through his head.
Almost at the same instant several other
shots were fired, and fell with the horse,
wounded in the left shoulder and right
thigh. AS fell threw up my right hand
with the rifle 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. 1
thought my last hour had come as he step
ped toward me clutching his knife. 1 rails
ed my wounded arm, holding the rife like
a pistol, and fired point blank at the In
li-N. who dropped dead on the spot.
len the mule gave IA scream and reared
Ip, dragging me from under the horse,
ureuchcd himself loose and gallopcd down
the Pass My idea at the time was that an
Indian had attempted to get at me from
behind. bat finding the mule in the way
had thrus; his lance into it. My surmise
Wa, probably correct as the mule eventu-
ally arrived at the fort with lance wound
in its flank,
My repeating rifle evidently discomfort
ed the Indians, and, although l fired sew
eral more shots into the bushes, l 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 l managed
to drag myself into a 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 / extracted the arrow, and the
blood began TO pour over my hand. Get
ting out my knife, l ripped up my sleeve.
l felt the blood coming in jerks and
knowing by that that an artery must be
wounded l improvised "A tourniquet by
tying a knot on my handkerchief, and
with my unwounded hand and my teeth
bandaged the arm and stopped the bleed
ing. l began to feel rather done up and
was leaning back against the rock when
l heard light rustling over my head.
On looking up l could see between me
and the sky the bushy head of soap plant
being thrust over the edge of the rock.
This was evidently ruse on the part of
the Indians to see if l We're on the alert.
l instantly fired upward, and the soap
plant disappeared. / dared not go to
sleep, and l 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 a leaf,
which often took for the stealthy tread
of a foe.
About O'Clock, as near as I could
judge, l heard what at once recognized
as the sound Of metal striking stone. 1t
was very faint and seemed a long way
Off but l felt sure that it was caused by
the iron shoe of horse. And if SO it was
probably the horse of 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 knew by experience,
to be caused by the rush of number of
horses over an arroyo and then all was
silent again. l waited for some time, and
then l heard family the unmistakable
tramp of horses galloping. The sound
gradually became more distinct and then
suddenly ceased. Soon l heard voices
and recognized those of Santos and the
lieutenant of my troop. AT last i heard
the order to advance l cried out:
Look out! There are Indians all
around
my God!' l heard the lieutenant say,
"he 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
as it was daylight they constructed horse
litter and conveyed me to the fort where
lay for something like three months.
was told that Santos, hearing the shots
when assembled the pass and no answer
ing call from me, concluded that l was
killed or prisoner and rode off TO the
fort, returning with help just in time for
my rescue.-Erchange.