The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-09-26

ing, and meat was just brOllIng on
sbarpened sticks. We had just time
10 clutch a piece Of cooked meat, rush
to Our horses that were held In the
rear and then charge pell-mell after
the fugitives. The meat we found
cooking was mule meat and we knew
from that some Of the hostiles had
been wounded in the last skirmish.
for wounded Indian is always fed
on mule meat. 1t was very palatable
to US, for the night air had made us
sharp set. For several hours we pur-
sued at top speed. Every few yards
we picked up squaw or papoose, a
horse or a burro, but Indians can out
ride as they can Outwalk white men,
and we had to give up the chase, for
they would not stand and fight.
The next day we resumed the pur-
suit, but the rain came down in tor
rents and washed away every vestige
Of the trail. By night the ground
was SO soft that the horses sank to
their girths at every step and we had
to halt. We had now had month OF
discomfort and hardship. Our food
had been badly cooked and sometimes
deficient in quantity, our clothes were
worn ont and our feet sore from
climbing mountains. Here we found
clothing and rations and, best of all, a
good dinner, cooked by woman on a
stove. Il was hera that S S.. when
asked If Re liked his beefsteak rare or
we'll dorn, replied that he would cat
the rare while the well done was cook.
ing" Our stay here was but for day
and night, after which we resumed
the pursuit. We had so far driven the
Indians ont of our own country into
Mexico. Again we followed the trail.
Now it leads Us over high. timbered
mountains, and again we find the vic
Tins Of Indian hate and cruelty. The
victims are usually prospectors, for
the mountains are full OF gold and
silver mines and the prospector's thirst
for wealth leads him to brave every
danger, and full many a prospector
has been assasinated by Indians as he
sat alone by his camp fire, unsuspect-
ing that an enemy was near. We
found the body Of one poor old man.
who had evidently tried to run away.
but had been shot many times through
the back. his legs broken and his skull
crushed in with stone Papers found
on him showed that he had discover
ed the long lost Adams mine. The
original Adams was shot in drunk
en- brawl and on his death bed told Of
a mine OF vast richness that he had
discovered and located. His hearers
believed in his story and for years
some among them had sought for the
mine At last this old man had found
it and in letter to his friends describ-
cd how rich if was; but here we buried
him and his secret died with him.
After three days of toll among the
mountains we emerged upon the
plains. We were now far across the
border in Mexico. The trail led Us
along a wide valley, valley destitute
Of water. grass, or even the smallest
shrnbs, 1t was the home Of the rattle
snake. the prairie dog and the Jack
rabbit. We had left camp in the
morning without having had water or
coffee at breakfast. and at night were
forced again to make a dry camDn'
that is, camp without water The
next dav we started early on the trail.
Our throats and lips were dry and
parched, and the alkali dust aggravat-
ell our misery by irrating eyes and
skin. We marched into the night and
again camped where there was water.
The hot sun and hotter glare from the
baked sands had made our thirst q
torment In the morning we resumed
tho trail The sun seemed hotter than
ever and even the deception mirage
was before us. It took the form Of a
large lake. a great lake lying inst
ahead Of IFS. One could see Gu the
surface OF this lake the shadows of
the mountains and t seemed too. that
there were in it clutnps of rushes and
focl,s of Wild foul swimming about
on its surface To those in front il
it appears at iimas but forty or fifty
wards awav Sometimes a ripple ran
along its shores and then the horses
would quicken their step and lower
their heads in readiness to drink. Oc-
raSionally a horse. driven to insanity
hv thirst. would throw his rider and
rash wildly off to the shading water.
To a90rayate Our misery we crossed
several large lakes that were dry. and
vet seemed to have had water in them
for the Indians. for their horses had
-nnk knee daaD in the trail and left a
doeD trail Numbers OF horses and
mules became exhausted and had to
he abandoned on the trail. Officers
and men walked doggedly on, those
havinghorses leading them. Agroup OF
lieutenants thus walking along saw a
negro soldier standing by depres
sion in the ground with a cup in his
hand. They asked him If there was
anv water there. He renlied, Yes, sir.
hut it dom tas' good" They We're not
particular abont the taste and rushed
to the pool and glned their lips to its
surface But the water was worse
than water Of the mirage, for the Ia
dams had poisoned it by soaking raw
hides in it. and soon the officers were
vomiting away what little strength
they had left.
Thus the column reeled along until
about s o'clock in the evening. when
a scout came rushing back with the
information that the hostiles were
Just in front, in ambush and waiting
for us. The trail would lea y rs be
tween two long, high mountains, along
the slopes OF which the hostile5 were
posted, behind large circular piles Of
rocks so as to have rs at their mercy
as we tried to pass between. But on,
commanding officer had been in toe
many Indian fights to be caught
so. The command was soon rallied
into the military formation, the
horseholders detailed and a charge
made over one of the mountains, not
between them. The writer was not
then accustomed to the high altitude:
of New Mexico and as he ran up thai
hill he felt as though a thousand
needles were piercing his lungs. anC