Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-12-07
THE eOWLOER WAS ALIVE.
Al Apache Strstagem That Nearly cost
"A GnNerntn,nt Conricr Ills life.


Talking # Indians and their strata
gems, said - \. Maston, lately of the
United State, cavalry. they are past
masters in the arts of skulkiug and de
ceiving. An Apache will lie behind Il
soapwecd on the open prairie, and You
may ride past 200 or 500 yards away
and never have an idea that there is a
rcdskin within 30 miles Of You unless
he decides 10 risk shot at YOU. As you
pass the soapWcod hc works his body
around so a. 10 keep il always IN limo
with the plant and vuu. Even on the
open prairie, with no laure shelter than
that afforded 10y some little inequality
uf surface, he Will sltt dust over his
body, fatton himself out, face down
ward against tho ground, and lying as
motionlcss as "a stone will c. pc the
observation Of Sy except sharp and
praCtiCed eyes. Sometimes III a group OF.
cactus or Spanish bayonet, his buckskin
garments blending with the hues of the
plants, his face and neck concealed by
the head of IA Spanish bayonet, he will
stand like IL post, indiStinguishablc 10
the inexperienced eye, even at close
quarters, from the grotesque plants
about him.
"A queer experience of this kind oc-
CURED TO mo in my service in Arizona
during General Crook last campaign
against the Apaches Tom Merriam of
my troop and myself were detailed to
carry dispatches from Camp Bowie to
Camp Grant, up on the Rio Benito. 1t
was dangerous service at that time,
and we had to keep a sharp lookout and
be ready 10 fight or run at moments
notice, for there was no knowing at
what point on the route the Apaches
might not be lying in wait TO jump Us
as we came along.
1--WE were on our return to Camp
Bowie and had just crossed the wooded
canyon where the cold spring j. and
were coming ont upon the open prairie
that stretches down to the San Pedro
river. when through the branches Of a
| low tree | saw what | took to be an IN
dian OH the plain, about "a half mile
ahead. But on squirting my horse for
ward so as TO get a better look nothing
was 10 be seen save the bare prairie,
with no sign of man or beast upon its
expense.
LAS we rode along | spoke of the
matter TO Tom, who laughed at what he
called my scare, which he said caused
me TO see imaginary Indians. We came
opposite low, gray bowlder upon the
prairie 200 PAGES or SO from the trail.
." Il don't remember ever to have seen
that rock before, said Tom, who had
been over the route several times. How
in the devil did it get there: I'll ride
over and take look at it" And he
refined his horse and rode toward the
object followed him, few yards be
| hind.
His horse had scarcely taken a doZ-
Ell steps when the seeming gray rock
moved slightly upward, and there came
from its lower edge u flash and report
with The scream Of big caiiDcr ball
that Mapped Toms coat with its wind
and caused his horse 10 plunge - sud
denly that Tom, one of the best riders
in the troop, not being on the lookout
for such a happening, was thrown. At
the same instant an Apache leaped from
beneath the gray blanket that had sory-
cd him TO masquerade rs "a bOWldCr and
ran like deer for the canyon, lcaping
TO left and right as ne went to avoid the
shots that Tom and sent after him
from our repeating carbines.
I'VE knocked up the dust about his
feet and made him do some tall lodging
to the whistling of our bullets, but that
was all for we didn't hit him. To have
chased him would have been folly, first,
because we were bearing dispatches III
haste and needed the last ounce Of re
serve force in our horses, and, secondly,
because with the start he had we should
not have overhaulcd him in his lun tul
the canyon, into which we could not
have followed him. SO we took the trail
again aud rode our way with another
wrinkle added to our experience Ot In
dian tricbcry and cus~cdncs-. New
\ ork sun