The Bossier banner., 1894-05-03
A MEXICAN ADVENTURE.
Story Of an Encounter with a
Gentlemanly Bandit.

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Some secrets are well kept Among
this number is surely to be reckoned
the reason why a certain New York
mining company, which several years
ago secured rich gold prospects in the
foothills of the Sierra Madres, in the
state of Durango, Mexico, suddenly
discontinued their active plans to de-
velop those prospects, and after lapse
of about year as suddenly resumed
operations. There was, at the time,
mystery about this fickleness of pro-
cedure which baffied the assayist who
assayed the samples from the prospects
and found them to be of remarkable
richness; and when, after this interval
of year, the mines were fully de-
veloped and operated with immense
profit, the general mining public was at
loss to understand just why this in
terim of inactivity had been allowed to
elapse. Certainly it was not for lack
of capital, for the company had mil
lions at its command, nor was it from
any desire to speculate, for it resolute-
ly refused the most tempting offers for
its prospects.
Not long since, at his solitary camp
fire in the Black hills, spent night
in company with the mining engineer
who had been sent to Mexico in charge
OF the initiatory operations for this
New York company.
He was habit'aally as uncommunica-
tive as chunk of quartz, but 1 had
oyertaken him when his supply of to-
bacco had been out for the space of
day, and as fortunately able to sup
ply him vita his favorite cut; therefore
his lips wf,re unsealed, and as he puffed
the soothing leaf he related the history
OF his apparently futile Mexican ex-
pedlta ION, which give, as nearly as may
De- IN his own words:
"My first business, after arriving in
Mexico, was to secure a competent
guide and servant and animals, pro-
ceed to the prospects, secure extensive
specimens of the mineral, and forward
them, along with my report, to the
company at New York. If my findings
were favorable, l was promised that
the word would be speedily sent back
to push extensive developments, of
which was to have full charge.
Il was fortunate enough to secure as
guide gruH, hardy old chap, who
went by the name of Sassy Sam AL
most his whole life had been spent on
the plains as United States govern
ment scout.
I'VE made the journey to the pros
poets without accident or incident
worth mentioning. The prospects
were far more flattering than had an
ticlpated, and we started back to the
outskirts of civilization with pockets
and pack saddles full of fine speci-
mems.
Just before crossing the Sierra de la
oandela range my horse stumbled on
sharp stone and bruised itself suf-
nciently to cause severe lameness.
This neeessitated my walking much
OF the way over the range, which was
rough and precipitous. Whenever was
compelled to dismount in order to spell
my disabled horse Sassy Sam followed
sui and kept me company on foot
We had scaled the ridge of the range
ana were beginning to descend the
nomeward side of the decline, having
'aiien probably about mile behind the
mounted Mexican servants.
Our rifles were balanced over the
KNOBS OF our saddles, and we were
ploddlng along in silence, drinking in
'he magnificent view of scenery which
stretched away on every hand, when
suddenly my guide gave a low exela-
nation Of surprise
glanced up in time to see a couple
ol uniformed Mexicans step into the
ra'i a few rods in front of us, and
cover us with their rifles.
IL was with poor grace that Sam
recognized that they had the drop on
US lor his hand seemed instinctively to
reach for the trigger of his rifle.
Their uniforms at once suggested to
me a hopeful possibility. Were they
NOT the revenue patrols of the Mexican
soVernment, who suspected us of being
whispered in English my hopes to
Sam' but he shook his head with a
nang- dog, defeated air, and sententious-
ly replied:
=, 1hey're Contreres' men. He's the
sgest bandit in the range. But I've
-, powerful notion to try a fling at em.
- ruther be shot in an uneven fight
,asa nan 70 be stripped, tied to a tree and
as 70 he chswed up piece-meal by
ountain lions and coyotes
ne was on the point of opening
spHi'eo conversation with the 'Greas-
80 IN verifcation of his nickname,
VseR summasily silsneed him. and