Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-05-30
SAVED BY A BURROss FANCY.
A Miners StCry OF Escape from
an Indian Massacre
Train and When He Took q short
Cut the TrainmAster and
Trailer Followed

Train and When He Took q short
Cut the Tr1inm2ster and
Trailer Followed
mexican burros as rule are socia BILE
creatures, and viii keep together in a
herd or pack train 50 closely that you
have hard work to separate one from
the rest" said Washington Himrod, a
mining man from Arizona Sin1ago,
the one 1 am going to tell you about.
seemed no exception He was q plain.
everyday donkey with the regulation
ears, drab skin, and black mark of the
cross between his shoulders He had
behaved 50 well before that II surprised
Us all when he gave US the slip one day,
and. what was worse, took his pack
load along with him 1t looked like
misfortune when 1t happened, bit it
proved good luck for me in the end
Sintago was in the burro train which
packed ore from the Buena Cincha
mine, in the Burro mountains, down 70
Cavallo station on the wagon trail.
But none OF US knew then that his first
master had been a gambrusino who had
driven him. packed with stolen ore, in
and out of these mountains so many
Zines that SintaGo knew all the trails
and short cuts as well as the Apaches
Gid.
AT the time 1 was trainmaster, in
charge OF all freighting for the Buena
CiEcba, and had started from the mine
with a train of 20 burros loaded with
ore in sacks At Cavallo station four
wagons were waiting for me TO arrive
There I was to complete their loads
with the ore 1 brought and go on with
the wagons 10 Silver City This was in
the 75's, when the Apaches were very
troublesome, for the Chiricahua rene
gades, -he remnant OF Cochise's band,
were hiding in the Sierra Madre, down
across the Mexican border. and they
raided up into New Mexico and Arizona
every little while
For my train OF 20 blrros there
were three Mexican packers 1 rode Ely
horse in advance to see that the way
was clear ahead. One of the Mexicanz
came next, beading the train, and the
other two brought up the rear where
they could watch the burros and their
packs. Sintago was in the middle of
the train, ard he carried two sacks
filed with choice specimen ore to be
shown in helping through a mine deal
that was on at Silver City The mine
owners and the representatives of syn
dictate that proposed to float our stock
were there waiting for me-
From the mine to the station was q
long days trip Il was some time near
the middle of the afternoon when SIN
tago left the train, though nobody saw
him 60 He managed the matter very
neatly 1t was in canyon at a place
v here the trail made q sharp turn. so
that after passing II Sintago was out
of sight from the Mexjcans behind for
i minute or two. He turned short OF
the trail. took five or six steps into the
bushes, and stopped behind a big rock
The burros behind him, following the
sound of the bell ahead, kept to the
trail, and had closed up the gap before
the two Mexicans got round the turn
They did not notice that one was gone,
and it was not until we got near the
station, at five o'clock. that found out
that Sintago, witt, the specimens, was
missing
At the station the wagons were wait
ing. OF course could not go with them
and leave those specimens behind Il
took but q few minutes TO load on the
ore sacks and start the wagon or Then
went back on the mountain trail. tax
ing along with me Antonio Naljez, one
If the packers, a reliable man and good
trailer 1 had found bronco for him
at the station. and 1 rode my own horse
The bronco would serve as pack horse
II necessary to bring the ore out of the
mountains We rode hot foot and. be-
fore darkness fell we had found where
the burro had turned of the trail and
waited behind the rock We traced his
course up the mountain a little distance
and then came back to the canyon.
found grassy place where our horses
could feed. and, picketing them, lay
down to sleep until morning
with the first CLEAN of day we were
OF up the mountain side None but an
experienced trailer could have followed
the tracks of a burro's unshod feet over
the rocks and hard earth of the noun
tain side. but Antonio managed to trace
them But he didn't take much stock
in our finding Sintago-dnding him
alive, at least
LOS osas, los leoues-they get him
first he said Los Apaches meb5e-'
In the course of an hour we came to
where the tracks turned of into an old
horse trail, and after that the burro's
course was easily followed Two hours
later we came to q little valley, where
Sintago had stopped to Craze and then
had started on The trail wound among
the mountains. making many crooks
ard turns, but 1 could see that its gen
eraI course was easterIy- II was 4
rugged road to travel, and we were not
In a mood to enjoy fine landscape views
Sometimes il skirted the brink of steep
precipices, and again would lie along
some grassy Inland valley II was at