Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-23
DELAY MEANT DEATH.
A Mail Carriers Race for Life Where Barbed
 Arrows Turtled by Him.

S
 Arrows Turtled by Him.
 San Francisco Call.
 Judge Francis Adams, now a San Francisco attorney, was one of the early pioneers of the great west, and few of the old timers have witnessed more thrilling events than he.
 Perhaps the most narrow escape I ever had" said the judge a few days ago, in recalling scenes that antedate the gold discovery, was in an encounter with hostile Indians in the year 1S47." And here is the story. It reads like fic- tion after the lapse of fifty years:
 In the above mentioned year Adams, then a boy of IT, was engaged in carrying military mail between Fl Paso, Tex, and Albuquerque, N M The greater portion of the country through which he passed was a desert waste. One piece of the way was particularly dangerous, being in the vicinity of a frequent rendezvous of the Indians and for the mail carriers safety and protection a small troop of soldiers was regularly detached from the midway post of Manzana, on the Rio Grande to meet the mall boy a 8 certain point of rocks, at which he always halt ed, and to escort him over that part of the road which was considered unsafe
 The spot in question was generally reached after nightfall It so happened that the officer in charge of the troop was Sergt. William J. Graves, who afterward became prominent as a lawyer in this state, and who has long since joined the silent majority. Young Graves was of herculean build, brave as lion, and as reckless as he was brave.
 Young Adams had on several occa- sions been hard pressed by savages, but he was well mounted, and his steed had always carried him through unscatched.
 No incident worth mentioning had oc- cured for quite a little period, so that aco nj Gray fp1 inclined to take matters rather leisurely. Then, concluding that he would miss the mail carrier if he rode to the point of rocks, the sergeant resolved to strike ahead and meet Adams on the highway.
 As usual, the mail carrier halted. It was after nightfall, but the big silver moon. made the night radiant, and ob- jects could be distinguished clearly for a considerable distance.
 The horse was allowed to graze about, and Adams sat down to rest. Then he looked towards Manzana for the troop CTS, but they were nowhere to be seen. Soon the horse pricked up his ears and moved in a friehttned way towards its master. Adams knew what that meant, and leading the animal to the cover of some rocks, peered about and discovered that the redskins were quietly closing in on him from all sides.
 Delay meant death. Adams put his carbine in order, sprang into his saddle, selected his opening in the Indian line, and, driving his spurs into the horses side made a desperate dash for life. The Indians were momentarily disconnected by the bold movement. Adams used his carbine on the nearest of the enemy, and, despite a rain of arrows, plunged through the line.
 Just as he thought himself fairly in the race to save his scalp he saw ahead of him in the pale. light another band of Indians that he had not calculated on. He Whirled to one side and then chase against heavy odds began.
 For ten miles the painted warriors pur- sued him, gaining on him every minute.
 The arrows pierced his clothing; the Indian yells almost drowned the noise of the hoof-beats of his steed. His horse was wounded, but the faithful beast still struggled on. The sixty-four rounds of ammunition carried by the rider were al- most exhausted. The horse fell dead.
 At this juncture firing was heard from afar.- The Indians were stayed by sud- den terror.
 Frank! Frank! Where are your" came a powerful voice.
 "Herer' cried the prisoner And through the hostile band Graves had burst his way, Knocking Indians to the right and to the left. The savages scat tered like children before him.
 "Quick! cried Graves, leaning far down from his saddle. extending his strong hand and locking it around the enfeebled hand of young Adams. Swing up behind" r
 Adams mounted behind the sergeant The Indians didn't recover from their surprise and shock of the young giants charge until-they were aware of two whites on g. single horse riding in the moonlight at speed that mocked pur- suit-riding away to be joined by the |, troopers