The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1895-10-05
AMONG THE APACHES.
An Arizona Miners Experience
with the Indians.

? =
Hew He Rescued . Mother squaw and
Her Twin Babies from Death ut
the Hands Of Her Super
stitious Tribesmen.
"Superstition forms the greater part
of the Indians character" said John
Elwood the other day. There are few
people that are in closer touch with
the Indians, and especially the
Apaches, than Jack Elwood, as he is
familiarlv known through the Rockies.
Jack is q character. EARLY in the '6Os
Jack went west to California. His
fortune did not come at once, and
finally Jack drifted back toward the
land of the rising sun. He finally
landed in Arizona, and for years has
been one of the best-known pros
pectors in that territory. He lives at
Phoenix, and is getting almost too old,
one would think, to keep up his efforts
to uncover fortune, but it would not
be safe to tell Jack Elwood that. In
the latter part of the sos Jack had an
experience while crossing the plains
that led to his close relations with the
Apaches, and since then he has been
one of the few who have the friend
ship and confidence of this band OF
warriors.
"'How did get my great stand-in
with the Apaches?' Well, I'll tell you,
l hardly know" continued Elwood.
II sort of grew into their confidence,
and have shared it more or less since
about 1885, Long in January of that
year l had an occasion to get pretty in
timately acquainted with the Apaches.
SIN Phoenix in back street stands
a little adobe house. It is off by itself
and its occupants have no communion
with any of their neighbors. 1t is the
home of an Indian by the name OF
Melo, who, with his wife and two chill
dren, live 4 quiet and solitary life.
They, like all Indians, are clannish.
They do not want to associate with the
outside world and have little or moth
ing to do with their own people. am
about the only one who ever gets in
side the threshold of that little adobe
cottage. From its doorway to the
east can be seen in the distance -Four
Peaks with their SUBMITS covered
with snow. Between Phoenix and
these mountains is broad desert.
early in January, 1856, was cross
ing that desert with team. II is
quite trip, and the valley is quite
warm even in January. It is necessary
to carry water across this plain, and
had goodly supply in barrel on the
wagon. Everything was going along
in good shape until nearly noon. when
an accident resulted in the loss OF every
drop Of water we had. 1t was impos-
sible to proceed far without water, and
yet to remain there would be equally
as serious. We did our best. Long in
the evening was picked up by band
Of Apaches in an almost exhausted con-
dition. They gave me water, and one
young couple who seemed to be supe-
rior to the others in intelligence fed
me. I. however. did not have my full
senses. The terrible strain on dry
alkah plain without water and in a
burning sun was enough to turn any
ones brain, want to tell you.
Indians are superstitious. illogical
and childish to q degree of which no
civilized man has any conception. This
was to my advantage. They thought
me insane. and as they regard one out
of his natural mind as something su
pernatural and to be revered they
treated ne with the greatest kindness.
did not trust the Indians, and hence
when began to recover my mental
balance I tried to give no outward evil
dence of this fact and wandered among
them in a solitary and speechless man
ner was shamIning to get away all
the time.
IA few days after my arrival at camp
twin boys were born to the young wife
of the Indian who had fed me and
cared for me. This is not any more
uncommon among the Indians than
elsewhere, and, although the red man
is passionately fond of children, yet
the appearance of twins and crazy
man las they thought me) forehode
them evil, and the medicine man said
that Mrs. Melo was witch, and that
she and her infants must be sacrificed.
Melo pleaded for his wife, without
avail. She did not attempt to escape.
l was not vet able to understand the
Indian language, and it was some time
before was aware of what troubled
my young friends. Already the dance
had commenced, and only a few hours
remained before the mother and her
children would be burned. I made my
escape. and succeeded in reaching the
agency. Here, with much trouble, I
secured a detachment o. cavalry, and
led them back to the Indian camp.
had no hope of being in tune; but,
fortunately, the chief had eaten some
thing that did not agree with him. and
the sacrifice was postponed few hours
When we rode up the noise OF the beat
ing Of tom-toms and the singing OF
dancers drowned out the sound OF our
approach. In the distance we could
see the young wife and her. two chill
dren being driven into her shack. and
the warriors, with burning frebrands,
gradually closing in to ignite the fun
eral pile. AT this moment we were dis
covered, and the dance was brought
to standstill. The presence of the
troopers was sufficient l persuaded
Melo and his wife to return to Phoenix
with me. They have lived there since.
and aided me in gaining knowledge Of
tho customs of the Apacnes. &C Chicago
Inter Ocean.
Russiam Prevents.
Many familiar proverbs OF the Rus
sian people have cynical dsvof Here
II . little group Of them:
Words are not arrows, but they ny
A~~AhAp