The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-11-14
THE FIELD OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND OAR.
ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.


Perilous Experience Of Mail Car.
rier-Towed by Tarpon-Con-
quered the Eagle.
UDGE FRANCIS ADAMS, now
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 /
ever had" said the Judge few days
ago, in recalling scenes that antedate
the gold discovery, "was an encounter
with the hostile Indians in the year
1S47." And here is the story. It
reads like fiction after the lapse OF
fifty years:
In the aforementioned year Adams,
then boy of seventeen, was engaged
in carrying military mail between Ell
Paso, Texas. and Albuquerque, New
Mexico. The greater portion OF the
country through which he passed was
q desert waste. One piece of the way
was particularly dangerous, being in
the vicinity of frequent rendezvous
of the Indians, and for the mail car
rier's safety and protection q small
troop of soldiers was regularly de.
tached from the midway post of Man.
zana, on the Rio Granie, to meet the
mail boy at certain point of rocks,
at which he always halted, and to es-
cort him over that part of the road
which was considered unsafe.
The spot in question was generally
reached after nightfall. It SO hap
pened that the officer in charge OF the
troop was Sergeant William ]. Graves,
who afterward became prominent. as q
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 bravo.
Young Adams had on several occa-
sions been hard pressed by savages,
but he was we'll mounted, and his
steed had always carried him through
unscathed.
No incident worth mentioning had
occurred for quite little period, so
that upon one occasion Sergeant
Graves felt inclined to take matters
rather leisurely. Then, concluding
that ne would miss the mail carrier if
he rode to the point of rocks, the SER
geant resolved to strike ahead and
meet Adams on the highway.
As usual, the mail carrier halted. 1t
was after nightfall, but the big silver
moon made the night radiant, and OBJ
jects could be distinguished clearly
for a considerable distance.
The horse was allowed to Craze
about and Adams sat down to rest.
Then he looked toward Manzana for
tho troopers, but they were nowhere
to be seen. Soon the horse pricked
up his ears and moved in frightened
way toward 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 sad
die, selected an opening in his Indian
line, and, driving his spurs into the
horses side, made desperate dash
for life. The Indians were momen.
tarily disconnected by the bold move
ment. 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
o chase against heavy odds began.
Z For ten miles the painted warriors
pursued 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 faith
full beast still struggled on. The sixty
four rounds of ammunition carried by
the rider were almost exhausted. The
horse fell dead.
At this juncture firing was heard
afar. The Indians were stayed by
sudden terror.
sFrank Frank! where are. you?'
came powerful voice.
"Herel" cried Adams. And through
the hostile band Graves had burst his
way, knocking Indians to the right
and to the left. The savages scattered
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.
"Swlng up behind.
Adams mounted behind the SER
geant. The Indians didn't recover
from their surprise and shock OF the
young giants charge until they were
aware OF two whites on single horse
riding away in the moonlight at a
speed that Knocked pursuit-riding
away to be joined by the troopers. :
Chicago Tribune.