Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-26

pointed leader They were to prospect
for gold. and wherever they found II
IN paying quantity, start a mining
camp. They had some thirty horses,
ana at the time this narrative begins
they had travelled some 400 miles.
The expedition had reached small
stream and cnmped on its banks. Its
members knew they were surrounded
by hostile Indians, because they had
had several long range sklrmlshes,
and several Of the horses had been
killed. Jim Stewart was "squaw
man; that is, he had an Indian wife.
and the miners somehow Imagined he
had no pluck, and would show the
white feather when danger arose. He
Knew they doubted his courage, and lie
treated them with silent contempt.
whenever he had anything to say to
them he spoke 10 MIR. Hnuser. and the
latter addressed them. The first night
at the stream he stood guard near the
horses, and not far from where the
men were camped II was n dark night
aud most inviting for sudden attack.
lsarly In the evening many of the men
mad thrown themselves down, resolved
to sleep, while a few sat around wait
Ing and apprehensive. Not sound
could be heard, when suddenly out OF
the dense darkness, clear as n bell
came this warning from Stewart:
Every man lie fiat to the groundlr
Hardy had the echoes OF his voice
died away when a murderous volley
was nred at them at close range. Stew
art knew that II meant almost GER
tain death for him TO give the warn
ing because the Indians would fire In
his direction. And lie was right. for
they Killed six or seven horses near
Where he was standing, hut luckily
illsseu nm. The first volley killed
three men and wounded four or five.
a bullet passed through d. Underwood's
Two arms, and would have killed
Mr. Hauser, but II struck n thick
pass book which he had in the breast
pocket OF his coat and lodged there.
zach one Rugged the ground closely,
rifle IN hand, and when the indians
ilred the fash OF their guns BETRAYED
their whereabouts and made a target
Tor the Cocl-headed frontiersmen.
Nearly all night the fight WAS kent in.
ara over dozen Indians were killed
Nearly every one of the expedition
was wounded, and some with arrows.
Tor the Indians, when they found that
the nash of their guns betrayed them.
began to work their bows. When day
light came nearly onc-half the horses
had been killed. three miners were
dead and the survivors had little hope
OF ever escaping alive.
The Indians had withdrawn to n
hiEh hill and were watching for N
chance to attack again. There might
be 1000 lndlansi the miners could not
tel, and all they had to do was to
charge and annihilate the expedition,
NO one seemed to know what TO do.
The hardy miners still lacked conf
denee In the "squawman," but Sam
Hauser believed In him and asked him
what they should do Stewart said
there was but one thing to do. and that
was TO 80 out upon the plateau NOT
Tor from the hill and challenge the In
dams to fight In open bnttle II they
accepted the challenge he thought two
or three In the party might live 10
tell the tale. Anyway, II would mean
death TO attempt to retreat without
illuminating the Indians Stewart
drank cup OF coffee, III his pIpe and
unfolded his plan OF battle to Hauser.
who had never hinched IN the face OF
danger, MS follows:
We Will all take our rifles, our blan-
Sets over our left shoulders, and march
over 10 the plateau below the Indians.
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