The Van Buren press., 1894-04-07
A MEXICAN ADVENTURE.
Story Of an Encounter with
0entlemanly Bandit


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, a
mystery about this ficlsleness OF pro.
cedurc which baffled 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 1t was not for lack
of capital, for the company had mil
lions ct its command, nor was II from
any desire to speculate, for 1t resolute-
" refused the most tempting offers for
its prospects. e .t.lit
Not long since, ct 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 tho initiatory operations for this
New York company.
He was habitually rs uncommunica-
tive as . chunk Of quartz, but had
overtaken him when his supply OF to-
bacco had been out for the space OF .
day, and was fortunately able To sup
ply him with his favorite cut; therefore
his lips were unsealed, and ns he puffed
the soothing leaf he related the history
OF his apparently futile Mexican ex-
pedition, which give. as nearly as may
be. In his own words:
my first business, after arriving In
Mexico, swas to secure o 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. II my findings
were favorable, ! was promised that
the word would be speedily sent back
t6 push extensive Developments, OF
which was to have full charge.
II was fortunate enough to secure rs
. guide a gruff, 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
ticipated, 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
Candida range my horse stumbled on a
sharp stone and bruised itself suf-
ficiently to cause a severe lameness.
''This necessitated my walking much
of the way over tho range, which was
rough and precipitous. Whenever l was
compelled to dismount In order to spell
my disabled horse Sassy Sam followed
suit and kept me company on foot @
I'VE had scaled the ridge Of the range
and were beginning to descend the
homeward side OF the decline, having
fallen probably abouta mile behind the
mounted Mexican servants.
''Our rifles were balanced over the
knobs OF our saddles and we were
plodding along in silence, drinking In
the magnificent view OF scenery which
stretched away on every hand, when
suddenly my guide gave low excla-
nation of surprise.
81 glanced up in time to see acouplc
of uniformed Mexicans step into the
trail few rods in front OF us, and
cover us with their rifles. NF ~,
1T was with poor grace that Sam
recognized that they had the drop on
ms, for his hand seemed instinctively to
reach for the trigger Of his rifle.
.sTheir uniforms ut once suggested ia
me hopeful possibility. Were they
not the revenue patrols of the Mexican
government, who suspected us of being
smugglersp
II whispered in English my hopes To
Sam, but he shook his head with a
hang dog, defeated air, and sententious.
ly replied:
"'They're Contreres' men. He's the
biggest bandit in the range. But I've
q powerful notion to try fling at 'em.
I'D ruther be shot in an uneven fight
than to be stripped, tied to tree aud
left to he chawed up piece-meal by
mountain lions and coyotes
"ae was on the point of opening 9
spirited conversation with the 'Greas.
ers,' in verification of his nickname,
when l summarily silenced him, and
asked him to remain passive and trust
to me to see ourselves out of the scrapt
by stratagem-of what sort had moi
the slightest idea.
"However, as our interceptors, keep
ing us under cover of their cnrbines
conducted us down tho trail, still
cherished the hope that Sassy Sam
was in error and that we were in the
hands of government agents instead o.
Contreres, the bandit.
"But sharp turn in the trail, which
brought us in view of ravine below
speedily dispelled that illusion. fol
there were our Mexican servants
stripped to the skin, while their cloth
ing was being rummaged by u group o
highw aymen.
I'm marching the intervening dis
tance did more double-distilled think
ing than had done in the whole jour
ney before-T might say In my Who'll,
life but to no avail; for, think rs
might. all plausible plans of escape
eluded me with fatal perversity, ant
as we were marched up to the group o
men was about giving up all hope o
concocting a scheme of escape, ant
wished that we had followed Sam
reckless impulse and made bold breal
for liberty while we had only couple
Of captors to deal with, instead Of ,