The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-03

was forcibly recalled to my mind some
time later.
THE next day we left Fort Clark for
scouting trip. At Newtown, where
the Los Moras empties into the Rio
Grande, Longonio rode up and asked
permission to cross the river. Fancying
that he wanted to visit some friends,
and knowing that there was no i'm
mediate need of his services, 1 readily
gave my consent. The greaser swan
his pony across the river and disap-
peared in the chapparal. The next
saw of him was two days later, when
rode into Fort Clark for my mail
In the afternoon Longonio rode down
the officers line and stopped in front
of the adjutant's office. Several Of
ficers were standing around and gaZed
in openmouthed establishment at sight
of the Mexican with a dead Indian be-
hind him. He refused to answer any
of their queries, and asked for Eel
colonel Hearing the connection, the
colonel came out. and before he could
say anything Julian cut the rope that
bound the Indian to his saddle, threw
the corpse on the porch at the colOneIs
feet, and in that soft, drawing voice
so peculiar to the Mexicans said:
Gin cuenta pesos, senior ell colonel
Well. gentlemen, the colonel was so
thunderStruck at first that he was
speeches., but recovering himself
presently he gave Longorio such a
cussing out as I never heard before or
since. The Mexican sat like a sphinx
on his horse, pretending not to under
stand English. and when the colonel
was through he simply pointed to the
dead Indian and again said:
Gin cuenta pesos, senior el colonel"
He got his Gin cuez1ta pesos finally,
but the colonel intimated that if he
ever caught him around there again
he'd have him shot. Longorio pocketed
the money and rode away with a broad
grin on his face, to regain the scouts.
It seems he had lassooed the Indian
first and started to bring him in alive,
but after dragging him mile over
the cactus plain, poor Los spirit fed
and another bad Indian was made
good one via the Paradise valley
route
Spinning yarns invites competition,
and one of the lieutenants who had
seen service in the marines in his
earlier days took up the thread of con-
versation.
when I joined the navy I was as
signed to duty on an old bark rugged
ship attached to the North Atlantic
squadron. Her guns were muzzle-ioad-
ers and smooth bores, but she had a
fine assortment of old salts in her
Crew anu my DilSAlSSl l6cOllectlUnS OF
that service are of the stories told by
some of these old fellows, to which we
kids used to listen in open-mouthed
wonder We didn't always believe the
tales of course, but we were too dis
Greet to say so. One man did laugh
disdainfully at one old salts yarn and
he was in sick bay for a week after
ward.
"Old Harry Sharp, chief bosn's mate.
I,<a1 ,I I.,T
tuition, told me one story of a little
event that took place at Nagasaki, Jap
an. when we weren't as friendly with
the British as we are now.
THE ship in which Sharp was serv-
ing in 1870 was assigned to service in
Asiatic waters. Size was commanded bv
Captain Joseph Piper, who had as
much love for a Britisher as Satan has
for holy water One afternoon the shin
was swinging at anchor with so faith
oms of chain out when the lookout re-
ported a British man-of-war coming
into the harbor flying the admiraPs
pennant. That meant salute. Gun
crews were piped and the salute Was
fired, the Britisher replying gun for
gun. Twenty-one guns were fired, and
then, to the surprise of everybody, Cap
tain Piped turned TO his quarter gunner
and said, fire six more guns Aston
ishment was depicted on every line of
the gunner's face, but an order was
gospel TO him, and bang. bang in quick
succession went six more guns. When
the Engiishman had reached her an
chorage the usual courtesies were ex-
changed, and while the admiral was on
the American with his flag lieutenant
the younger officer said to Captain Pr
per: Pardon me, captain, but we have
been two weeks coming from the South
Sea islands, and has there been any
change IN the international code of sa-
lutes in that timer
No, SIR snapped back Piper in
testy voice.