The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-04-13
A MEXICAN ADVENTURE.
story of an Encounter with a
Gentlemanly 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
their active plans to de-
velop those prospects, and after a lapse
of about year as suddenly resumed
operations. There was, at the time, a
mystery about this fickleRess of pro-
cedure which baffled the assayist who
assayed the samples from the prospects
and found them to be of remarlka BILE
and when, after this interval
of a year, the mines were fully de-
veloped and operated with immense
profit, the general mining public was at
a loss to understand just why this in
term of inactivity had been allowed to
elapse. Certainly it was not for lack
of capital, for the company had mil
lions at it's 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, 1 spent a 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 habitually as uncommunica-
tive as chunk of quartz, but had
overtaken him when his supply of to-
bacco had been out for the space of a
day, and l was fortunately able to sup
ply him with his favorite cut; therefore
his lips were unsealed, and as 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 ow n words:
sMy first business, after arriving in
Mexico, was to secure 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.
81 was fortunate enough to secure as
guide gruff, hardy old chap. who
went by the name of Sassy Sam AL
most his whole life had been spent on
the plains as a United States govern
ment scout
"We made the journey to the pros
poets without accident or incident
worth mentioning. The prospects
were far more fattering than had an
ticipated, and we started back to the
outskirts of civilization with pockets
and pack saddles full of fine speci-
mems.
'sJust 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 the range. which was
rough and precipitous. Whenever | was
compelled to dismount in order to spell
nv disabled horse Sassy Sam followed
suit and kept me company on foot
1--WE had scaled the ridge of the range
and were beginning to descend the
homeward side of the decline, having
fallen probably about a 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 a low excla-
nation of surprise.
81 glanced up in time to see couple
of uniformed Mexicans step into the
trail few rods in front of us, and
cover us with their rifles
Their uniforms at once suggested to
me hopeful possibility. Were they
not the revenue patrols of the Mexican
government, who suspected us of being
smugglers?
II whispered in English my hopes to
Sam, but he shook his head with a
hang-dog, defeated air, and senteptious,
ly replied:
They're Contreres' men. He's the
biggest bandit in the range. But I've
a powerful notion to try a fling at 'em.
I'd ruther be shot in an uneven fight
than to be stripped, tied to a tree and
left to be chawed up piece-meal by
mountain lions and coyotes,
HE was on the point of opening q
spirited conversation with the 'Greas-
ers,' in verifcation of his nickname
when l summarily silenced him, and
asked him to remain passive and trust
to me to see ourselves out of the scrape
by stratagem-of what sort / had moi
the slightest idea.
However, as our interceptoEs, keep.
ing us under cover of their carbines,
conducted us down the trail, l still
cherished the hope that Sassy Sam
was in error, and that we were in the
hands of government agents instead OF
Contgefes, the bandit.
''But sharp turn in the trail, which
brought us in view of a rayipe below,
speedily dispelled that illusion, fol
there were our Mexican servants
stripped to the skin, while their cloth,
ing was being rummaged by group Of
highw aymen.
SIN marching the intervening dis
tance did more double-distilled think
ing than had done in the whole jour
ney before-I might say in my whole
ife-but to no avail; for, think as
might, all plausible plans OF escape
eluded me with fatal perversity. and
as we were marched up to the group o.
men l was about giving up all hope o.
concocting a scheme OF escape, anC
wished that we had followed Sans
reckless impulse and made bold breal
for liberty while we had only couple
of captors to deal with, instead OF {
score of them.
I'VE halted, and tall, athletic
handsome young fellow stepped from
tic posse and called out:
tStripp