St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-07-18
SAVED BY A BURRO'S FANCY.
A Miners Story OF Escape nom
an Indian Massacre.



Mexican burros A. . rule are s0ciable
creatures, and will keep together in a
herd or pack train 80 closely that you
have hard work to separate one from
the rest" said Washington Himrod, a
mining man from Arizona. "Sintago.
the one am going to tell you about,
seemed no exception. He was . plain,
everyday donkey with the regulation
ears, drab skin, and black mark OF the
cross between his shoulders. He had
behaved SO well before that it 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 it happened. but 1t
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 to
Cavallo station on the wagon trail.
But none of us knew then that his first
master had been gambrusino who had
driven him. packed with stolen ore. in
and out of these mountains 50 many
times that Sintago knew all the trails
and short cuts us well as the Apaches
did.
AT the time was trainmastcr, In
charge of all freighting for the Buena
Cincha, and had started from the mine
with train of 20 burros loaded with
ore in sacks. At Cavallo station four
wagons were waiting for me to arrive.
There l was to complete their loads
with the ore brought and 60 on with
tho wagons to Silver City. This was in
the 7o's. when the Apaches were very
troublesome, for the Chiricahua rene
gades, the remnant of Cochise's band.
were hiding in the Sierra Madre. down
across the Mexican border, and they
raidcd up into New Mexico and Arizona
every little while.
"For my train Of 20 burros there
were three Mexican packers. Irode my
horse in advance to sec that the way
was clear ahead. One Of the Nexicana
came next, heading 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
filled with choice specimen ore to be
shown in helping through 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. It was some time near
the middle of the afternoon when Sim
tago left the train, though nobody saw
him go. He managed the matter very
neatly. 1t was in \ canyon at a place
v here the trail made . sharp turn. SO
that after passing it Sintago was out
Of sight from the Mexicans behind for
\ minute or. two. He turned short OF
the trail. took five or six steps into the
lslShe4. and stopped behind big rock.
CHE 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.
end it was not until we got near the
station, ut i've o'clock, that found out
that Sintago, with the specimens, was
missing.
AT the station the wagons were wait
and leave those specimens behind. It
tuck but few minutes to load on the
ore sacks and start the wagon on. Then
/ went back on the mountain trail, talk
ing along with me Antonio Valjez, one
If the packers, reliable man and good
trailer. / had found q bronco for him
attic station, and rode my own horse.
The bronco would serve as a pack horse
il necessary to bring the ore out of the
mountains. Ave rode hot foot, and, be-
fore darkness fell, we had found where
the burro had turned on the trail and
waited behind the rock. We traced his
course up thclaountain little distance
and then came back to the canyon,
found grassy place where our horses
could feed, and. picketing them. lay
down TO sleePuntil 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 mUun-
tain side. utsAntonio managed to trace
them. But II didn't take much stock
in our finding Sintago-finding him
alive, Il least
80. Los ossst Jos leones-they get him
frst,. Re safds Los Apaches mebte.'
ssln tks@9vEse Of an hour we came to
IS here the tracks turned on into an old
.hdrsk frMf Ind after that the burro's
course was easily followed. Two hours
later we came to little valley, where
Sintag0 hadsstopped to Craze and then
hid stAftsfcn. The trail wound among
thes~moant9te. making many crooks
Ind tufnA, but could SEQ that it's gen.
eral course was easterly. It was I |
rugged road to travel. and We were not
In mood to enjoy fine landscape views
Sometimes it skirted the brink Of steep
precipiccs, and agofn.,would lie alnne
some grassy Upland valley. It Was At |
one Of these thst Antppio. wig. rode
ahead. pulled rein S6d micpttoned f6rMe
to come up. There ns&e moist .eartk
was the track Ola grizzly beaE.folI6wsl
ing the trail Of the burro. sAa5onS6
shook his head. !
That fellow ksy,6l4tals, he. aid |
We get the pack !. Hut the bur~
robe eat up by tia thine.
i The bears track 1eept On With Sin
'tagaf VSh6SlSthsH neat vSAey. : kreen, |