Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-28
IN CROOKS PASS,
How a Fight Between Deadly Enemies
Was AVerted,

How a Fight Between Deadly Enemies
Was AVerted.
We had been riding along the base of the
mountain for about two hours after break
ing camp when heavy smoke was noticed
to the south. The ground for miles around
was covered with grass as dry as finder,
and the instant the smoke was seen every
body knew that a prairie fire had started
The wind was blowing fresh from the south,
and the fire would travel like an express
train. We were within a mile of Crooks
pass when the smoke was sighted and in
seven or eight minutes the command of 50
men and horses was in the deiile We
found it a rocky cut about 20 feet wide,
with walls running up until we could not
see where they ended. We crowded bacl
to get clear of the heat and smoke but the
major remained alone at the mouth of the
pass as if he wanted to witness the wave
of fire as it rolled along. The smoke was
driving along in a dense cloud, but the
flames were yet two miles away, when a
band of so Apaches, all in warpaint, and
the very band we were scouting after, came
riding like the wind from the south and
turned into the detile. The last of them
had their feathers scorched by the billow
of flame.
The major had no time to retreat, but the
first Indian to enter the pass was Yellow
Feather chief of one of the tribes. He
could not have known that the soldiers had
sought shelter there, but he no sooner
caught a glimpse of the major than he
threw up his hand in token of friendship,
and the two rode side by side up the pass.
With the last of the Indians came three or
four black tailed deer and half a dozen an
telopes, and the warriors crowded us up
the pass to let the animals in as far as pos
sible from the heat. There was a draft
from the prairie up the defile, and men and
horses were soon choked up. We might
have lost every animal but for Yellow
Feather, who said to our half breed scout:
Tell the white men to do as we do, or
their horses will soon be dead
Every Indian lay at full length on his
stomach, and such of their ponies would
not lie down had their noses pulled down
to the earth, where there was current of
air free from smoke In the course of half
IN hour the heat and smoke from the
mouth of the defile no longer troubled us,
but Yellow Feather gave us another mes
sage through the scout:
Tell the soldiers that the trees above us
are on fire, and we wish they would go far
Their back and give us better shelter"
We pushed back until we We're a full
mile from the mouth of the pass, and the
Indians closely followed US, and the deer
and antelope came ON behind. 1t was only
the trees at the base of the mountain which
were dry enough to burn, but it would be
hours before any one could leave the defile.
1t was a curious situation. There were 20
troopers in the command who had sworn to
avenge the deaths of comrades. There We're
so who had never given quarter even to a
squaw. \ grim old sergeant wounded a
year before by an arrow, felt an itching
and an aching as he glared through the
ftl,
red men a flying tomahawk had sliced
off an ear for Corporal Thomas, and l saw
his hand go up and heard him cursing be
low his breath. Some of our horses trem
blcd as they got the scent of the red men,
while others laid their ears back and ground
their teeth against the bits.
But it was not all on our side. A brother
and IL son of yellow Feather had been left for
the wolves and buzzards to feast on. In that
band We're more than one who had felt our
bullets or sabers. We had burned their vii
lage, captured or shot half their horses, and
in the various melees their families had not
escaped scot free. We We're even then seek
ing to force them to give up all that an In
dian holds dear No doubt a tiercer light
came into their eyes as they glanced up the
dark pass, and here and there one muttercd
his demand for vengeance. y fight in that
dark and narrow defile would have been a
terrible thing, and twice it was narrowly
averted. A reckless trooper rose to his feet
with carbine in hand and a yell of defiance
on his lips, when corporal seized him by
the throat and choked him down and |
threatened him into humble submission. |
Again, a warrior, who might have been
smarting under a recent wound, began a |
harangue to excite the passions of his fellow
warriors, but Yellow Feather drew his knife
and seized him by the shoulder, and the
words died away in his throat.
1t was o'clock in the afternoon before |
the deer and antelope left the mouth of the
pass The air was still heavy with smoke. |
but the ground had cooled. For hours they |
had stood crowded in among the ponies, |
but not an Indian had raised a hand to
harm them. Soon after they had disap- |
peared Yellow Feather said to the major:
LAS we are nearest the prairie we will go |
first. You reached the pass first and could
have kept us out, and had you done so we
should have lost all our hCAses and perhaps
some of our lives. l thank you for your
kindness"
II hope you would have done the same
for us" replied the major.
II should have wished to, but might not
have been able to restrain my young men.
Which way do you ride?'
1--WE follow you. l was sent out with
ders to follow and fight you"
THAT is we'll. 1 was also sent out to
fight you. But for the fire l should have
hoped to get you in an ambush and kill
every one Neither of us is prepared to
fight now"
mo, but an hour hence!'
"That is we'll. Goodbye
He turned at the mouth of the pass to sa-
lutte and then disappeared. When we filed
out ON the ash covered prairie, we saw Il
number of moving figures far distant in the
south. 1t was the rear guard of the Apa-
che band, and it was useless to follow.
NJ QUAD.