River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-01-10


let or mouth. beginning at the rise of
the stream. you find the flow quite
abundant but il steadily diminishes
as you follow Il down. until after
awhile il vanishes altogether. swdl-
lowed up and absorbed by the dry
earth and sand, through which il has
it, course. AT certain seasons, when
the snow melts in the mountains, or
there is a violent rainfall, the dry bed
becomes a rushing torrent, sweeping
everything before it, 4 cloud burst
caught some of our cavalry when en-
camped in the dry bed Of one OF those
singular streams and we had a desper-
ate scramble FER lie Ihe water, with
out any warning roar and IA a wave a
dozen feet high. came iown with a
faint swish that none of rs card until
we were overwhelmed. We lost a
couple Of mules and only b. the best
OF fortune did several of Us escape
drowning.
We were returning from 4 three
days pursuit of a party of Apache
raiders ne afternoon and were MAX
Ing our way through the MOgollen
mountains. on the route to the fort.
when we entered the bed of one of
the streams such as have described
Men AMI animals were suffering from
the furnacc-iike heat and from thirst,
and our two Apache guides. Pedro and
Masque. assured us that we hal To fol
low up the dry bed only short way
when we would find all the water We
needed.
No company o. cavalry ever pursued
party OF raiders win more energy
shan we and our failure was inev.ta-
BILE. We exchanged slots with the
Indians several times, and once were
sure we had them corne-ed. but il was
Ike attempting To corner a lot of rats
N an empty barn. Their were scores
Of holes into which they whisSed
,ut of sight and reach. When an
apache war party are pressed hard
they break into couples. or, If neces
tary, into individuals. and each takes
ais own separate line of flight Pur
lui: then becomes impossible, since
,heTe Is no orranized boiy left - pur-
Ius. The warriors. after thus battling
lSei- foes. meet at some place miles
Instant and prepare To repeat their
aids At some other point
The river bed which we were follow
ing wound through a valley. with a
sarying width of from one to two or
three hundred yards. 1t was strewn
with powders and rocks, most of
which had probably been tumbled in
20 their places by the resistless rush
OF the stream when swollen by melt
ing snow and fierce storms The
mountain sloped upward on either
hand and was of the roUghest and most
PERCEPTIONS nature.
We would not have taken this route
on the return lsince it compelled lie
tour of several miies), but Cor the
urgent need of water. We were APP
palled at the prospect OF the long ride
over the burning plain 70 the fort
under the torture of thirst and. like
men in such a state. were willing 70
take any risk for the sake Of the de-
licious. soul-reviviag fluid.
Sure enough. we had ridden barely
q couple OF miles when signs Of moiS-
ture showed themselves \ little further
and we struck vigorous rivuiet above
where il disappeared under a large
rock Our poor animals jammed their
nose into this. crowdiug each other.
so hat they and the troopers were
struug along the current for a number
of rods We dropped on our faces and