The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-05-22
salt that Teller can't sink in it," re-
marked Winston.

90 swimmin' in such hole us that. I'd
be afeard that spirit 'ud grab me by the
feet and pull me down. There's never
been no bottom found in the center"
The rest of us had no such scruples,
| however, and, dofiing our clothes, we
were soon splashing about in the briny
element.
| 1t gave me a grewsome feeling to
swim across the fathomless abyss in the
center. It's ragged circumference, seen
distinctly many feet below the suface,
suggested the ravenous jaws and gap
ing nav of a monster of the Cyclopean
world, lying in wait for whatever un-
wary creature might venture into its
vicinity. | caught myself wondering
how ! should feel if some mighty force
were suddenly to seize and drag me
downward; and mad almost succeeded
/ in working myself into a state of genu-
/ inc fright, when a shout from the rim
of the crater diverted my thoughts into
more sensible channel.
After watching our aquatic sports
| for few minutes Winston had assembled
to the crest of the mound, where | now
caught sight of him lying fiat on the
inner edge of the crater and excitedly
gesticulating to us. To scramble into
our clothes was the work of a few mo-
ments, and we climbed up the steep to
his side.
lie did not wait for us to ask for an eX-
PLANTATION of his call. Pointing to the
bluffs on the northern side of the basin,
he calculated the single word Look"
leaving us to observe and draw our own
conclusions from what we saw.
"Indiansl-and a big bunch of EN-! y
cried Baker, who was the first to glance
in the indicated direction.
"Theres just 10 of EN- said Harris.
"If they are hostiles and discover us
Discover u.s." interrupted Human.
'How can they help discoyerin' us when
they'll strike our sign the minute they
start down in to the basin?"
"If they failed to see our sign they
couldn't very well overlook that bunch
of saddled bosses standin' at the foot of
the HILL" said Winston, arising and
starting down the path at rapid pace.
I'VE can't afford to let 'em get the
outfit" he said, as we overlook him at
the bottom; $50 we'll just lead the
bosses to the bottom of the crater, and
nd standin room for 'em on the in
side"
The suggestion was adopted. Mount
ing our horses, we drove the pack ami
mails to the bottom of the ascent, and
sent them all up the winding path at a
pace that must have astonished them,
since heretofore they had good reason
to regard us as men merciful to their
beasts.
Securing the horses to blocks of lava
on the inner slope, which afforded a
somewhat precarious footing for them,
we again centered our attention upon
the causes of our disquietude. They
were riding along at the same slow trot
as when first seen, and ere now within
| 100 yards of the trail leading down to
the basin, which it was evidently their
intention to enter
Ten dollars to one they see our trail
before they get to it," said Winston, his
frontier reclSlessness prompting him
to gamble even on such desperate
chances as those of the present mo-
ment.
The words were scarcely uttered
when the leading warrior, squirting his
pony suddenly forward, bent low in the
saddle and scrutinized the ground be-
fore him. He was Immediately joined
| by his comrades, and we had the felic~
| ity of seeing ourselves tracked by Il
band of human bloodhounds, whose
keen eyes never falter on a trail, and
who seldom fail to run their prey to
earth.
I'D have won my bet, anyhow, said
Winston, commencing to slip cartridges
into the magazine of his Winchester.
All doubt as to the warlike mission of
4 our visitors was removed as they de-
scended into the basin and followed our
trail toward the spring, at long, swing
ing slope. The absence of women, chill
dren and dogs, their painted faces and
the fighting trim" of their scanty ha-
biliments, proclaiming them a war party
of Apaches, while the confidence with
which they advanced unquestionably
Indicated that they had already gath
cred from the trail an approximate idea
| of our numbers and character.
They seemed to consult together for
few minutes, and one of them finally
stepped out of the group and advanced
to the foot of our stronghold, holding
His hands above his head with the palms
to the front, as sign of his amicable in
tentions.
"Buenas das, amigos!" he hailed in
Spanish, with which language the south
western Indians are generally con-
yersant.
"They know we're here, an we might
ms we'll talk to 'em," said Human.
No one objecting, he rose to his feet
and answered the salutation of the
dusky herald in the tongue in which it
was given.
"Buenas dias! Que quiere usted?"
| (Good-morning! What do you want?)
understood Spanish sufficiently well
to enable me to follow the conversation
that ensued, and | knew enough of In
dian diplomacy not to be particularly
surprised by the herald's propositions
on behalf of his very hospitable COM
patriots. These involved nothing less
than the turning over of our horses and
arms, and the giving up of our persons
10 as bloodthirsty band of cutthroats
as ever harried the defenseless citizens
of the border. The Indian prefers arti-
fee to fighting in his efforts to 1iscom-
fort his enemy. and this band was only