The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
A JUDGMENT BY A LION.
HOW 1T ENDED 4 DUEL IN JACK
SONS BASIN.

We had como down off the mountains near
Tremont's Peak-the six of us who had been
prospecting for three months-and wo had
scarcely struck.the. trail when we ran upon a
mountain outfit. There were three white mon.
two half.breeds, q Mexican. and n negro. and
tho party had six pack mules with thom. They
had sjust gone into camp for tho night, and
after hearty greetings all around we pitched
our tents alongside and cooked our suppors at
the same campfire. Tho strangers were bound
mp to Little Squaw Mountain, on n hunt for
gold. The leader was jim Williams.
There would have bcen no trouble between
the two outnts but for tho cards which were
introduced after supper. And as " was. only
. portion Of the men cared to play, as the day
had been q tiresoTno one to all. Our chief,
Frank johnson OF Nevada, sat down with Will
liamB, and both were in great good nature rs
I wrapped myself up in my blanket and fell
asleep. l had ~slopt.for two:hours.when aroused
BY the sounds Of q quarrel. ! was the last man
Of tho thirteen to roll out, and ! found every
one of the twelve with n gun in his hand. 1t
seemed that tho two leaders had begun play.
Ing for money. and luck being with our man
no had won heavily. Then there came a dis
puto a. to some point, tho lie was passed, and
the men Of both outfits we're ready to open
fro sonSeachSother. 1T was the other crowd
which backed down. Williams realized that
he could not depend upon tho Mexican and the
negro. and was therefore ovcrmatched. After
momen he flung down his gun and said to
johnson:
'SThe crowd has nothing to do with this row.
and / reckon we are men enough to settle 1t DO.
tween ourselves"
'In any way you choose replied johnson.
swell, then, I'll tell you my plan In the
morning. One of us has got to go under for
what has passed, but tomorrow will be a long
day. Let's call 1t Off for tonight"
Tho two leaders shook hands, and l for one
believed that would be the end OF the quarrel.
j said as much to ,ono Of our men as we lay
down again. but he whispcringly replied:
"You don't know the men. There is an old
erudge between them. They will fight to.
morrow for sure. and they will fight until one
OF them Is dead"
"a duel with rifles, pistols. or knivesi" I
asked.
II can't say. Both .are square men, and It
will be a square fight. Jim Williams is one OF
the gamest men in all the West, and as he has
found his match there'n be n fight worth talk.
ing about for the next twenty years."
The men OF both camps slept peacefully dur.
ing the remainder Of the night, and us we pre-.
pared and ate breakfast nobody had a word to
say about the trouble OF the night before. The
two leaders gave each other good morning
u Shhttcu duouL inc "cdlHer. ana i would
have wagered my all that the hard words had
been forgotten and forgiven. l was looking
for the order to pack up and move on as soon
as breakfast was over when Williams took a
scat beside johnson and quietly observed:
You are in no great hurry, l take it, and a
day or two will make no Inference to our
men,"
I'VE can stop here a week as well as not"
was the reply.
Just ahead Of US. to the north. is Jackson's
Basin"
AYE! I've passed through it," said John.
son. st Is q natural sink, which was once
the bed of a lake. but is now grown up with u
perfect tangle. What's your plant"
zone of us is to leave here at o o'clock. 1t
VIII take, him an hour TO reach the far side. At
for each other in the basin. The ONE Who
Lives to get out will return here and notify the
camps. Do you understand
In the basin, and to shoot on sight. One of us
viii be left there. The one who goes first
to the trail or take to the woods. We may be
hunting each other for half u day or half a
That's the idea. and now we'll toss up to see
who goes first. Is it heads or tails!"
the coin which Williams tossed into the air
feii tai up, and he rose up and said:
,,.n hts 10, FOR me TO- go first: Boys; you all under.
back, and there's to be no hard feelings about
Il II I'm left behind You'll push on with:Bill
packs you are welcome to divide between you.
I've got fifteen minutes to get ready in"
i had heard every word OF the above. as had
every other man in camp, but it was hard for
me to realize that the men were in sober earn
the, had talked 1t over tT' as eooiiy a as f L the s Shs
3ect OF discussion was a bear or deer. Will
Hamst took with him a rifle, n revolver. a knife,
meat. When ready to go he shook hands with
the two white men Of his party, nodded to the
I'm an hour shall reach the far side and be
ready TO- turn back. Sorry the earth isn't big
and thereh DO nothing 70 kick over
cleaned his tf firea nput o MipMen hl his na 1Gh" sod
gave some instructions as to what should be
done with certain interests in case he did not
retlrn- When the hour WAS up he shook hands
other camp. and he was whistling as he dlsnp.
peace. and each mar found something at
that tho affair in the basin would be over be,
fore noon. but those who argued thus made a
n %ls ! pr %ssss '9 to take %sn any ~se Chance to LII ktfc
was the stake to be played for. and the game
WhenWilliams had crossed the basin he turned
and headed back to tho south, but not on the
On his right. and made his way along through
S-C .S.N1bLV ehu oNOl III bOulutTb WlIn llN
stealth OF an Indian. AS our leader entered
the basin he also entered the woods to his
right Tho two men thus made a half circle
and. were as far away from each other as tho
limits allowed. The basin contained about
700 acres Of land. and was walled in on every
side. The trees were not large, but tho under
growth was very thick. and there were also
many great boulders lying about.
Az Williams circled to the south and John,
so9 70 the north. each made q half circle before
finding tho others trail. The distance GOV
cred by. this half circle was about two miles
and such was the caution with which the men
moved that Il was afternoon before they came
upon signs" Each ones plan was now plair
II, each returned over his own trail, or within
reaching distance, of IL, This change simply
prevented q meeting. When ono had reached
the north end Q, the trail the other was bach
afternoon. Then each took tho trail and hold ii
e. A point within 200 feet of the centre, ant
WILLIAMS left 1t for the woods to his left ant
johnson for the woods to his right. withou,
carefully forward unit. only fifty feet sepa
ratod them. Then a wolf dashing out from ih,
space between them gave both men the cue
and each began to work for a shot. johnson
had before him three or four vine. covered boul
dere, and he crept under the vines and was s,